Arizona prisons shift from physical to digital mail, families say it ‘dehumanizes’ loved ones

PHOENIX — In December, Arizona prison officials are changing the way inmates receive mail — moving from physical letters to digital scans. The Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry said the shift is intended to reduce contraband while increasing the safety of inmates and staff, but families fear it could harm inmates’ mental health.

For one Valley woman, physical mail is how she's stayed connected with her brother for years.

“We're close. We've always been close,” she said. She asked 12News not to use her real name out of concern for her brother’s safety. He has been imprisoned in Arizona for about 13 years on a murder conviction.

“This situation has been horrible,” she said.

Despite the circumstances, she said he has become a model inmate.

“Fortunately, he's