Pima Jail Drug Crisis: Inmates Dying as Incarceration Fails to Address Root Causes

Sixty-three percent of the inmates who died inside the Pima County Jail last year had drugs as a factor in their deaths. Amid a nationwide fentanyl crisis, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department aims to address the problem by constructing a new jail, though critics argue this won’t suffice.

Caleb Kenowski, a 22-year-old from Minnesota, was arrested on the morning of May 20, 2023, after a 911 call reported him fighting with his girlfriend outside a T.J. Maxx in Tucson. That same afternoon, he was booked into the Pima County Jail on multiple charges including domestic violence and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Kenowski did not survive 24 hours in custody. Early on May 21, he was discovered unconscious on a top bunk in the detox unit by a nurse and a corrections officer. This area is meant for newly admitted inmates who are likely to experience withdrawal symptoms.

Kenowski’s case was particularly severe, involving excruciating fentanyl withdrawal symptoms, which can be fatal if untreated. Upon booking, he admitted to using 30 to 40 tablets of fentanyl daily. He was prescribed a series of medications for withdrawal but, according to a nurse, might not have received them. An inmate reported hearing him cry out in pain.

After being found unresponsive, a nurse administered CPR and four doses of Narcan, but Kenowski was pronounced dead at 3:19 a.m. An autopsy confirmed acute fentanyl and methamphetamine intoxication as the cause of death.

Efforts to notify Kenowski’s family faced serious obstacles. Over a month later, a detective noted the failure to locate any next of kin. It was a Tucson Sentinel reporter who eventually identified Kenowski through social media, leading to his family being informed of his death.

Kenowski was one of eight fatalities in Pima County Jail in 2023, with drugs as a factor in five of the deaths. Fentanyl was involved in four of these cases. Despite measures like body scanners installed in 2018, former jail employees admit drugs continue to enter the facility.

Staff shortages contribute to the problem, leaving overworked officers ill-prepared to handle intoxicated inmates. In Kenowski’s case, the officer who found him was working extended overtime hours.

The jail has seen a spike in detox admissions, from an average of 30 to as high as 100 inmates at once. New policies require all inmates to undergo a five-day detox stay and change underwear upon booking to reduce contraband. However, critics argue these measures are insufficient.

Lawyers representing families of deceased inmates allege the jail and its medical contractor, NaphCare, fail to provide adequate care for those grappling with addiction. A Blue Ribbon Commission proposed building a new facility at an estimated cost of $800 million to address these issues.

Former inmates and family members emphasize the need for better medical care and more trained personnel rather than a new building. Advocacy groups argue for harm reduction strategies and diversion programs outside the jail system.

Communication breakdowns have compounded the tragedy. In Kenowski’s case, a simple social media search by reporters achieved what month-long official efforts did not: contacting the family. Previous cases reveal similar lapses in notifying next of kin promptly and accurately.

One year after her son’s death, Jody Kenowski still awaits contact from the Pima County Sheriff’s Department. Despite the ordeal, his family retains fond memories of Kenowski, highlighting the deeply personal impact of systemic failures in handling drug addiction and incarceration.