Graterfriends A Publication of The Pennsylvania Prison Society May 2012

From the Editors

While we at the Prison Society have been busy planning our 225th anniversary of advocating for social justice, we continue to offer help and programming to those who need it prisoners, former prisoners, and their families and communities. We recently held an informative public forum about the intersection of public health issues and criminal justice issues. Its not a subject that is often talked about, but we found that without help from public health institutions, ex-prisoners can find reentry into society very difficult. Some of the findings from that forum, where Secretary John Wetzel was a keynote speaker, may be found in the article to the right. Dante Overby of SCI Rockview has written a very helpful pamphlet for people who were sent to county jails from state prisons. He is one of a few who was able to file the correct paperwork to allow for his return to a state institution. We have reprinted the information on pages 10-11; perhaps it can also help some of you. The Pennsylvania General Assembly was in recess when this newsletter was published, but recently a hearing took place regarding Senator Greenleafs SB1153, tackling changes to the Post Conviction Relief Act (PCRA). See Legislative Highlights on page five for details. Dont miss Executive Director William DiMascios column on page 16. He writes about the evolution (or devolution) of the commutation process in Pennsylvania.

News
PUBLIC HEALTH AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE ISSUES OFTEN INTERSECT
by Mindy Bogue, Graterfriends Managing Editor If we dont provide ex-offenders with the opportunity to have housing, how can we expect them to succeed? asked John Wetzel, Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections at the recent public health panel: The Nexus Between Public Health and Criminal Justice. Along with Secretary Wetzel, the 200 attendees also heard from Estelle Richman, Acting Deputy Director for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. A panel of five specialists on the subject of public health also made remarks based on the keynote speeches and answered questions from the audience. The event was presented by the Public Health Initiative of the Pennsylvania Prison Society. Public health and criminal justice are rarely mentioned in the same sentence. However, Amalia Isaa, Ph D, of the University of the Sciences stated, Criminal justice in the manner it is currently carried out is a health issue in its own right. Facts that were highlighted in the session include:

25 percent of former offenders are homeless upon their release Their death rate is highest in the first
(See Public Health, continued on page 13)

Letters more than a page in length (200 words) will not be published in their entirety in Mailroom or Legal Chat Room, and may be considered for another column. All columns should be no more than 500 words, or two double-spaced pages. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: William M. DiMascio MANAGING EDITOR: Mindy Bogue EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS: Danielle Collins, Bridget Fifer FOUNDER: Joan Gauker To protect Graterfriends from copyright infringement, please attach a letter stating, or note on your submission, that you are the original author of the work submitted for publication; date and sign the declaration. If you have a question about Graterfriends, please contact Mindy Bogue, Communications Manager, at 215-564-6005, ext. 112 or mbogue@prisonsociety.org.

Graterfriends is a monthly publication from the Pennsylvania Prison Society. The organization was founded in 1787 and works toward enhancing public safety by providing initiatives that promote a just and humane criminal justice system. This issue is made possible through contributions from our readers and funding from Phoebus Criminal Justice Initiative through the Bread & Roses Community Fund. We reserve the right to edit submissions. Original submissions will not be returned. We will not print anonymous letters. Allegations of misconduct must be documented and statistics should be supported by sources. 2
The opinions expressed are of the authors and not necessarily those of Graterfriends or The Pennsylvania Prison Society.

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Graterfriends A Publication of The Pennsylvania Prison Society May 2012 Public Health, continued from page 2

Literary Corner
BIGGER BROKEN HOME
by Zechariah True Thompson, HV-3696, SCI Forest In this cell I lay again to witness the time, and time I have spentin a cell and in my mind. My thoughts race at a pace I cant maintain, my sanity in question, because Im too numb to complain. It becomes so loud here, so I drift into a zone, only to be disturbed by the man on the speakerphone. My pictures are bitter memories, of a once existed past, now nearly ten years later, those photos are only ash. Im so afraid to change, because mistakes happen fast, so I try to fight the future, to rectify my path. Ive become obsessed with metaphors, to avoid talking long, addicted to relief, from a poem or from a song. Im so used to chaos, I sleep better in madness, I wake up in this tragedy and write this rhyme in sadness. I try to test God, to seek the proof of his wrath, so I can believe and say, Im sorry to the people at once I laughed. Maybe this is it. This sentence could be his will. For a kid that killed a man, is given time to kill. But Ive labored for them, and shown my growth, but never is it noted, just bias looks and unjust treatment, shows the systems motive. Easy to find whats wrong, harder to find whats right, thats what we live in. Motions denied, too empty to cry. Not hard to fail, not easy to win. How long is long enough, for a man or woman who wants a chance? to prove theyve changed, to show their love, and teach their children how to dance? This is how it feels, when youre sentenced to be alone, far away from family, in an even bigger broken home.
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two weeks after their release, often due to having no home and no access to health care.

A large percentage of Pennsylvanias current prison population is nonviolent, behind bars for misdemeanors. In Pennsylvanias prisons, 17 percent of men and 48 percent of women have diagnosed mental health issues. A specialty court helps determine VA benefits available for veterans so that they may better cope with PTSD and other traumas suffered due to battle conditions. Five years ago 60 percent of the prisoners in the Philadelphia Prison System were tested for HIV; today 80 percent are tested. Twice as many cases of HIV are now being identified and treated in jail. Prisoners leave the Philadelphia Prison System with at least five days of medication, plus a 15 day prescription if they can pay for it. Out of 5200 prescriptions last year, only 37 were filled. The incarceration rate for women has grown by 800 percent over the past twenty years. Most of these women are in their 30s and 40s and in prison for drug infractions and other nonviolent crimes. Nearly 80 percent of the women entering SCI Muncy have suffered various forms of abuse. A high proportion of women enter prison suffering from PTSD and various addictions.

Ms. Richman, focusing on public housing, said, If were going to make an impact on those coming out of prison, we have to offer safe and affordable housingIf we dont spend now but spend three times as much in the future, are we really saving taxpayers money? It was concluded that public health and criminal justice professionals must use science empirical data and theory to determine who goes to prison and who may qualify for alternatives to prison; the issue must be looked at in a holistic manner. In addition to the Prison Society, the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia and LaSalle Universitys Master of Public Health Program sponsored the event.

The opinions expressed are of the authors and not necessarily those of Graterfriends or The Pennsylvania Prison Society.