Last year, when holiday music was played around the clock in Maricopa County Sheriff‘s Office jails, both inmates and staff complained that too much holiday music is more of an irritant to many of the inmates than it is a joy to hear.
In response, Maricopa County Sheriff Arpaio says he will acquiesce to the complaints received from inmates and the detention staff. This year holiday music from Alvin and the chipmunks to Andrew Borcelli and from Elvis to Iglesias will only be played two hours in the morning and two hours at night.
In December 2005, Sheriff Arpaio ordered holiday music be played throughout the jail facilities to keep his staff and inmates in the holiday spirit. The music selection then and now includes selections from various religious backgrounds from Christian to Jewish, and Mormon to Agnostic.
Arpaio says that the music should lighten up the jailhouse environment this Christmas season not only for the almost 8,500 inmates housed there, but also for the many officers and deputies who work in the jails during the holidays.