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Maricopa County Sheriff reinstates 'timeless' inmate uniforms as security measure

By
Published  January 7, 2026 3:26pm MST
Maricopa County
FOX 10 Phoenix
Black-and-white striped uniforms return for Maricopa County inmates

Black-and-white striped uniforms return for Maricopa County inmates

Inmate in the Maricopa County Jail are sporting new uniforms, trading in the solid orange outfits for a more traditional style. FOX 10's Brian Webb learns more about the significance of the change.

The Brief

    • Maricopa County inmates have transitioned to traditional black-and-white striped uniforms, replacing the previous solid orange and infamous pink outfits.
    • The change is a security measure designed to make inmates more easily identifiable to the public and to distinguish them from state prisoners.
    • The sheriff’s office confirmed the switch carries no additional cost, as the new style was covered under the existing uniform contract.

MARICOPA COUNTY, Ariz. - Inmates in Maricopa County are wearing new uniforms, swapping the solids for stripes.

What we know:

Gone are the old orange-colored outfits, used since 2017, and the infamous pink jumpsuits before that, trading them in for a more traditional style.

The switch was made this week, and it is not just a fashion statement, but a security measure. Black-and-white inmate uniforms are back in fashion at the 4th Avenue Jail, replacing the orange and pink ones before them.

What they're saying:

"We started this process in the summertime and we didn’t actually receive the uniforms until last month and then we deployed them this week," said MCSO Deputy Chief Brent Williams.

The new county colors arrived, stamped with the words "Sheriff’s Inmate" on the back. While they may look different, officials say they were actually made for better security.

"Recently we’ve had incidents where we’ve been out with inmates in public settings such as the hospital or other places and our inmates are confused with State Department of Corrections or other inmates," Williams said. "To alleviate that confusion, the Sheriff thought it would be a good idea to go back to something that’s clearly visible so that our inmates are differentiated from them. And the black-and-white stripes were the choice."

The sheriff’s office made a mock newscast about the updated prison garb, calling the stripes classic and timeless: "The uniforms are mandatory, non-negotiable and yes, still not a fashion statement."

By the numbers:

Nearly 7,000 inmates have a new look, like it or not—and it is a look most people would never want to wear.

Dig deeper:

"If I’m driving down the road and I see someone walking down the road in an orange shirt, I’m not really thinking that much," Williams said. "I see someone in black-and-white stripes and it’s not close to Halloween, I might think a little differently."

The sheriff's office said the black-and-white stripes do not cost more than the solid colors. They are part of the same contract, and the change was simply a matter of choosing a different style.

The Source: This information was provided by the Deputy Chief with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.

Maricopa CountyNews