Art for Justice Criminal Justice Issues

Justice & Mercy is an organization that examines the effectiveness of programs, policies and procedures in our criminal justice system and sheds light on the issues in matters of great importance to the general public and the legislators. Juistce & Mercy is heading up The Criminal Justice/Public Safety Coalition in Pennsylvania. They drafted the following information and are inviting others to join with them to improve public safety through positive reforms in the criminal justice system.

JOIN THE GRASSROOTS PLAN TO
STOP BUILDING PRISONS AND
START BUILDING UP OUR NEIGHBORHOODS!!!

The Criminal Justice/Public Safety Coalition

"The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and truly legitimate object of good government." Thomas Jefferson

Every day, we see media coverage on the high rate of crime and the problems of prison overcrowding and abuse. What happens in jails and prisons ultimately affects the public safety of us all. A number of grassroots organizations in Pennsylvania are coming together to work for positive changes in the criminal justice and correction systems. This new collaboration, "The Criminal Justice/Public Safety Coalition", examines current legislation, collects relevant data and makes recommendations for changes and additions to proposed bills.

The Pew Public Safety Performance Project just completed a study that cited more than 1 in 100 adults in the United States are incarcerated, more than any other country in the world. With soaring prison populations -- an increase of 17% expected in the next five years -- an overcrowded system is only going to get more overcrowded.

The Pennsylvania state prison is at 115% capacity and rising at 200 inmates per month so far this year. By 2012, the Department of Corrections has stated that, despite building new bed space, they will run out of room to hold more inmates. Most prisoners will be released and over half will be back in prison within three years.

Recidivism impacts not only the people involved in the criminal justice system but the general public. Over 95% of people incarcerated will be returning to our neighborhoods and all those who work in corrections will come home at the end of their shift. The potential for contagious diseases is prevalent from those returning from prison and those who work in the institutions and have the potential to bring medical conditions back into the communities in which they live.

Almost 20% of those incarcerated are mentally ill and, with more state hospitals closing, jails have no where to send them for help in dangerous situations. With reduced funding for rehabilitation and treatment, violence is becoming more prevalent. Re-entry plans are needed to guide and to keep ex-offenders accountable so they have the necessary skills to become tax-paying, productive members of society.

Corrections alone can not solve the problem of repeat crime. The Coalition will engage the Department of Corrections, Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole and the Department of Public Welfare as well as the police and courts to ascertain that the objectives and goals are communicated to reach the best possible outcomes.

This Coalition will examine current legislation, collect relevant data and make recommendations for changes and additions to proposed bills. In addition, new legislation may be written working with legislators that would sponsor these bills. Corrections issues will be addressed in policy development that may include:

More effective sentencing: Alternative initiatives that address treatment for inmate diagnoses and assessments such as drug courts, mental health courts, re-entry courts, community courts, restricted intermediate punishment facilities as diversion programs and day reporting centers;
Incentives to change: Early parole for eligible inmates who have taken required programs to address their problems and a propensity for change shown by their records of good behavior;
Better medical practices: Compassionate release for seriously ill inmates with life-threatening illnesses to be treated in a secure hospital or hospice environment to avoid the high costs of unneeded security;
Showing by example: Humane conditions in corrections that teach respect for human life;
Best practices: Promotion of prison models that work;
Skilled correctional professionals: Correctional policies that allow for the safety, training and competitive wages for prison staff;
Mental health treatment: Alternative mental health treatment and community supports in outpatient services when possible and, as needed, inpatient services such as psychiatric care centers, specialized units for mental health in correctional facilities. Transitional care is advocated that includes re-entry systems upon release such as peer support services, employment assistance, medical care and so forth;
Smart practices: Funding for Crisis Intervention Teams (CITs) that, when appropriate, could divert mental health situations to crisis services rather than the court system;
Disease control: Medical care in prison that addresses the high percentage of illnesses and diseases and will help transition medical care upon release so the community will be better protected;
Crime prevention: Work for more preemptive crime prevention such as community policing, more police, more equitable education and economic development;
Correcting behavior: Re-entry that begins in prison and transitions upon release to the communities;
Providing opportunities: Reduce employment barriers that bar ex-offenders from being productive, law-abiding tax-payers. Some records should be expunged automatically after a certain period of time without further offenses such as proposed in Senate Bill 232.

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HB 4 providing for intermediate punishment programs, recidivism risk reduction incentives, and change in confinement for those with sentences of two to five years from county jail to state prison (similar to SB 1045)
HB 5 amending the transfers of adult offenders fro security placement or when going to court and transportation costs for transfers and court appearances.
HB 6 providing for administrative and major changes in parole (a companion bill to HB 4)
HB 7 allowing for placement of seriously ill inmates in a hospital, nursing care facility or hospice care location via the DOC request of the sentencing court (similar to HB 1274 which provides for parole for offenders with a terminal or serious illness, offenders in hospice setting that present little risk of reoffending).
SB 587/HB 80 providing a mental health court division through the court of common pleas of any county or judicial district.
SB 1128 establishing the Criminal Justice and Mental Health Reinvestment Act per the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency as planning grants for county problem solving.

Please join us at a meeting to learn more about how you can help in this grassroots effort. Together, we can make a difference and change the direction of our state and ultimately, our country.

We look forward to you being part of the team that will change the direction from prison building to community building!