This is just how bureaucracy typically operates. Everyone knows that the system is messed up, but no one can override the system without potentially huge personal consequences.
As a former prison inmate, I honestly think that most of the people affected will be quite happy with the monetary compensation that they'll receive once the courts get done with this.
> seems like most of the employees of the Arizona correctional facilities are now guilty of crimes worse than the majority of their inmates.
This is destructive thinking. There are surely some employees without relevant authority who are thinking "screw those animals", but there are surely other employees, also without relevant authority, who are sympathetic to the affected prisoners and want to see their cause prevail. None of the employees who work on the actual prisons have any responsibility for this. Releasing a felon is a huge deal and can only be done when ordered. Only the top people at the DOC, at their headquarters, have any authority that could possibly help in this situation.
About the "crimes worse than the majority of their inmates" part: If you compare to the crimes inmates were actually convicted of, perhaps they don't look so bad. But quite a few inmates have claimed to me to be guilty of crimes much worse than what they were convicted of. People get caught on the drug charges, but often get away with the violence. What percentage of rape in the hood do you think gets reported to police? 1%? Less?