PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Pennsylvania Prison Society says they’ve seen no improvements made to the “dangerous and degrading” conditions in Philadelphia jails that they reported to city officials two years ago.
In an 18-page report, the nonprofit Prison Society describes what they call a crisis of Philadelphia jails. They say if “decisive action” isn’t taken, more people will die, more will be injured, more will escape — and violence in Philadelphia will continue to rise.
Staff at the nonprofit conducted a walkthrough of Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility, where they interviewed 45 incarcerated men. About 3/4 of them said they are not allowed out of their cells every day.
They said prison staff are often absent, especially on nights and weekends. In medical emergencies, the incarcerated men often have no way to get the attention of corrections officers. They also cited recurring issues such as rodent infestations and not getting enough to eat.
In a response to the report, Philadelphia Department of Prisons Commissioner Blanche Carney blamed a shortage of corrections officers for many of the problems. She says they are working to recruit, hire and retain more officers.
She said that staff shortage is exacerbated by a growing jail population and delays in court proceedings for incarcerated people awaiting trial. In one example, a man being held for trial has been waiting since 2015.