Arizona Revised Statutes

Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 31-228 (2026)

Procedure for discharge of prisoner; return of property; furnishing money, clothing and transportation ticket; allowing hair to grow before discharge

✓ current as of May 2026

Find cases: SyfertCases citing this section AZ-LEGazleg.gov (official) JustiaTitle on Justia CornellLII Search CasesGoogle Scholar

A. When a prisoner is released conditionally on parole, community supervision or probation if the court waived community supervision pursuant to section 13-603 or is discharged from a facility of the state department of corrections there shall be returned to the prisoner everything of value taken on commitment to the state department of corrections, or thereafter received by the prisoner, unless the item is contraband as defined in section 13-2501.

B. In addition to items returned pursuant to subsection A of this section, all monies accumulated in a prisoner's dedicated discharge account shall be furnished to every prisoner who is paroled, released on community supervision, released on probation if the court waived community supervision pursuant to section 13-603 or discharged from the state department of corrections. Except for prisoners who are committed to the department as a condition of probation, prisoners who have immediately available financial resources in excess of $250 or prisoners who were previously paroled, released on community supervision, released on probation if the court waived community supervision pursuant to section 13-603 or discharged from the state department of corrections, if a prisoner has accumulated less than $50 in the prisoner's dedicated discharge account, the monies accumulated in the account shall be furnished to the prisoner on the prisoner's parole or discharge, and the state department of corrections shall furnish the difference up to $50. The department may furnish the monies to a prisoner who is released to the community on a stored value card, smart card or other instrument or device that enables a person to obtain goods, services or anything else of value through the use of value stored on the instrument or device.

C. A paroled prisoner, a prisoner who is released on community supervision or probation if the court waived community supervision pursuant to section 13-603 or a prisoner who is discharged may be furnished a nontransferable ticket on a railroad or bus serving at or near the place of release to the first railroad, bus station or ticket office beyond the limits of the state in any direction. If the ticket is not used within three days after the date of discharge, unless prevented by illness, it shall be void.

D. Notwithstanding subsection B of this section, the department shall furnish clothing not exceeding $35 in cost to each prisoner who is paroled, discharged, released on community supervision or released on probation if the court waived community supervision pursuant to section 13-603.

E. One month before the date of discharge, the prisoner shall be permitted to allow the prisoner's hair to grow.

F. Notwithstanding subsection B of this section, before a prisoner's discharge the state department of corrections shall withdraw from the prisoner's spendable or dedicated discharge account any applicable fees prescribed by title 28 or the department of transportation's rules for the issuance of either a driver license or a nonoperating identification license to the prisoner, if eligible.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 7 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1982–2021 · leading case: Blum v. State, Dept. of Corr., 829 P.2d 1247 (Ariz. Ct. App. 1992).

Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment

Blum v. State, Dept. of Corr., 829 P.2d 1247 (Ariz. Ct. App. 1992). · cites it 47× “The statute at issue, A.R.S. § 31-228(A), has not yet been judicially interpreted.”

Zuther v. State, 14 P.3d 295 (Ariz. 2000). · cites it 19× “At the time of the conviction, A.R.S. § 31-228 required the Arizona Department of Corrections (ADOC) to provide the sum of $50 in “gate money” to each prisoner upon release from prison unless the inmate had more than $250 otherwise available.”

Greenhalgh v. Dep't of Corr., 324 P.3d 771 (Wash. Ct. App. 2014). · cites it 3× “In Blum , the Arizona Court of Appeals held that disposal of contraband violated former Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 31-228 (A) (1987).”

State v. Thomas, 642 P.2d 892 (Ariz. Ct. App. 1982). “Such regulations may require retention of earnings for release needs in lieu of cash or clothing allowances authorized by § 31-228. B. Every prisoner faithfully performing such labor and conforming in all respects to the rules, or if unable to work, but complying in all respects…”

Sanders v. Ryan, 484 F. Supp. 2d 1028 (D. Ariz. 2007). · cites it 8× “Plaintiff claims that Ennis-Bull-ock’s refusal to exchange new audiotapes for tapes already in Plaintiffs possession and to allow the older tapes to remain in Plaintiffs stored property, violates his rights under RLUIPA.”

Zuther v. State, 3 P.3d 965 (Ariz. Ct. App. 1999). · cites it 7× “” A.R.S. § 31-228 (Supp. 1992). In other words, under the law in effect when Appellant went to prison, the State would provide fifty dollars in “gate money” when he was released.”

Derello v. Romero (D. Ariz. 2021). “, Plaintiff alleges Defendants Harris, Griggs, Garcia, Maydon, Diaz, 6 Ortiz, Bustillos, and John/Jane Does “subjected [him] to cru[e]l and unus[u]al punishment 7 out of retaliation,” conspired to deprive him of his property, and “purposely destroyed and 8 gave away [his]…”

— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 31-228(A) — 3 cases

Blum v. State, Dept. of Corr., 829 P.2d 1247 (Ariz. Ct. App. 1992). “The statute at issue, A.R.S. § 31-228(A), has not yet been judicially interpreted.”

Sanders v. Ryan, 484 F. Supp. 2d 1028 (D. Ariz. 2007). “Plaintiff claims that Ennis-Bull-ock’s refusal to exchange new audiotapes for tapes already in Plaintiffs possession and to allow the older tapes to remain in Plaintiffs stored property, violates his rights under RLUIPA.”

Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.