James Ray's New Look

James Arthur Ray in the Arizona Prison System

James Arthur Ray is no longer in Yavapai County, the charming mountain hideaway where he was sentenced and taken into custody on November 18, 2011.  He now seems to be in urban Phoenix at what's known as the Alhambra Reception Center. This is a clearinghouse unit for the Arizona Department of Corrections. All adult males are taken here for approximately a week before getting their ultimate assignment. Ray will go through health and mental evaluations and his case will be reviewed. After they've had a look at him, he will be assigned to a permanent, or a two-year rather, location based on his offense and his security risk. 


The Alhambra unit is on the grounds of the Arizona State Hospital, which is located on major thoroughfares in town. If you've ever driven out of Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport in ground transportation, there is a good chance you've gone right by it.  The hospital is not for appendectomies and high fevers. It is a place to which people are committed by a judge and they cannot leave. Often, if they had not been deemed too disturbed to care for themselves, they would have been sentenced to an outright prison for criminal acts. There is even a courtroom right on the grounds, which saves everybody the hassle and risk of transporting very disturbed individuals to the regular court complex a couple miles away.  As a reporter, I've been on the grounds visiting, I cannot remember why, sex offenders. I may have forgotten the story but I have not forgotten the place. I don't believe Mr. Ray will enjoy it there. 


Ray was wearing a white dress shirt, dark jacket and dress slacks last time I saw him. He's wearing prison orange now. That's his new inmate photo above. 


One more little word, in discussions here and there, I have often seen references to Ray possibly ending up in a "Sheriff Joe" jail. This is not likely and that is why you see him in orange, not the famous black and white stripes of Maricopa County Jail. Joe Arpaio only administers county jails for Maricopa County. Ray's case took place in Yavapai County and from there is transferred into the State system. Ray really has no connection to the Maricopa County system at this point and is not likely to end up in one of "Joe's" jails.

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