Joe Profiri, a senior adviser to Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders and former head of the Arkansas Department of Corrections, told state lawmakers on Tuesday that Arkansas has the infrastructure and policies in place to tackle prison overcrowding but needs to scale up its efforts.
Speaking before the House and Senate judiciary committees, Profiri attributed the state's prison overcrowding issues largely to high recidivism rates, a point supported by correctional experts and department data. The hearing was part of a series examining the challenges of Arkansas’ growing prison population, which has increasingly strained facilities and state resources.
“What it comes back to is based on the scale of Arkansas’ community corrections system, maybe we need a larger capacity to actually show success,” Profiri said. He pointed to the more than 80,000 individuals under some form of supervision to highlight the system's scope. While praising the work of legislators who have passed key reforms in the last several years, Profiri emphasized the need for execution and expansion. “At this point, it’s largely about executing,” he said, adding that the system should focus on rehabilitation rather than punishment.
The state prison population, which has grown consistently since the COVID-19 pandemic, has long exceeded Arkansas' housing capacity, leading to a backlog of individuals in county jails awaiting transfer to state facilities. This persistent problem has fueled disputes between Governor Sanders and the Arkansas Board of Corrections. One such clash occurred in 2023 when Sanders sought to open additional state prison beds, a move opposed by the board due to staffing shortages. The disagreement ultimately led to Profiri’s dismissal as corrections secretary later that year after the board suspended his leadership.
In the wake of Profiri’s termination, legal conflicts arose over who had the authority to make decisions about the state’s prison system. Former Board Chairman Benny Magness noted at the time that staffing issues made it unsafe to expand prison capacity as Sanders had proposed.
Proposals for a 3,000-bed facility in Franklin County have also sparked debate. Governor Sanders backed the $750 million project, but it met stiff resistance from a bipartisan coalition in the Senate and faced criticism from the local community. The project remains on hold.
Tuesday’s hearing marked Profiri’s first public appearance before lawmakers since 2025. He had previously drawn critique from legislators for declining to appear at a hearing in 2024 focused on the Franklin County prison plan. That absence led to an unsuccessful attempt earlier this year to eliminate his position as an adviser to the governor.
Profiri’s remarks come as state officials continue to wrestle with how to manage the prison population and address the substantial backlog in county jails. Lawmakers have signaled that they will keep pursuing solutions in upcoming sessions.