PHOENIX -- Non-English-speaking inmates in Maricopa County jails will start attending English-only classes Monday.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio said his aim is to teach inmates about American government and the criminal justice system. Arpaio said inmates will also learn how to communicate health and safety needs in English to the sheriff's detention officers.

"Some of my detention officers have had to learn and speak Spanish just to communicate with inmates," Arpaio said. "These inmates happen to be incarcerated in the United States of America and in Maricopa County where I run the jails. And we speak English here, not foreign languages."

County officials said there are approximately 3,000 Hispanic inmates in Maricopa County jails out of a total inmate population of nearly 10,000. Around 1,000 are illegal immigrants, officials said.

Classes will be conducted for two hours a day and will last two weeks. Lesson plans will cover the three branches of government, how a bill becomes law, state government, law enforcement and court services as well as jailhouse situational terminology.

"It's vital to the health and well-being of everyone incarcerated to be able to tell a detention officer if he or she is sick or in pain, allergic to something, threatened by another inmate or is experiencing more serious health concerns," Arpaio said. "Inmates also will learn the English equivalents of legal phrases as well as orders typically given by detention officers."

Classes will be taught in each jail facility by English language instructors. An exam to test for competency will be given at the end of each two-week-long class, Arpaio said.