Prison Justice – steps forward?

Due to the hard work of those in prison - as well as those formerly incarcerated and general public advocates - steps have occurred recently to correct some of the injustices of our prison system. It is significant that the injustices of solitary confinement and our sentencing laws are being recognized. Our hard work is having an impact.

A Justice Department report released in January highlighted the barbaric use of solitary confinement. The paper, entitled the Report and Recommendations Concerning the Use of Restrictive Housing, provided recommendations that have been adopted by President Obama. Banning the use of solitary confinement for juveniles and for minor infractions are among the changes. The President is also calling for more treatment for those who are mentally ill as well as recommending that those in solitary are given more time outside their cells in Federal prisons. It is hoped that these recommendations will spread to states.

In 2012 the Supreme Court banned life without parole for juveniles in this country. While this was great news, it was not retroactive, leaving many who were incarcerated as juveniles still with no hope of ever getting out of prison. Recently, however, the Supreme Court voted to approve this retroactively. This is great news for the 500 people we have in our PA prisons who were incarcerated as juveniles. Still, in order for each one of them to be released, they will have to go through a lengthy process involving the courts, the Parole Board and the Department of Corrections. The procedures make room for crime victims to express their anger, grief and concerns before any release happens.

In 2015 the Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act was approved by the Senate Judicial Commission by a bipartisan vote of 15-5. This act, if it becomes law, would significantly impact the amount of time people with nonviolent drug offenses were incarcerated, [This is not clear - does it mean that people already sentenced on such drug offenses will have their sentences reconsidered, or does it mean that sentencing will be less for those in the future who are convicted of nonviolent drug offenses?]...something that the majority of people in this country support. This does not go nearly far enough. Not surprisingly, Republicans are in the process of watering down the bill. It is going nowhere for now.. However, the fact that the bill has gotten even this far opens up possibilities should we all be calling on to get a law passed.

It is vital that we form an alliance with those in prison, those formerly incarcerated, and their families to advocate for changes. How we incarcerate people needs to be examined. In addition, support is needed for those who have already been caught up in the system. This spring, a number of events in Pittsburgh will give people a chance to educate themselves and to explore ways to work on bringing much-needed change.

Mariposa and the Saint: On April 2nd at 7 pm at Repair the World, 6022 Broad St, Pittsburgh, PA 15206. This is a one-person play expressing the horrors of solitary confinement. Julie Steele Allen is both the playwright and the actor. The play is taken from letters that Mariposa wrote to Allen from solitary.

Jondhi Harrell; On April 5th at 7pm at the University of Pittsburgh Law School, Jondhi Harrell, Director of The Center for Returning Citizens will speak about: “Do Black Lives Matter: The Impact of Mass Incarceration on Individuals and the Community.” Jondhi was himself incarcerated. He not only speaks from experience about our corrupt system but also how we can advocate for change.

International Conference on Solitary Confinement: April 15th and 16th The University of Pittsburgh School of Law will be holding an international conference on solitary confinement. This will be interdisciplinary and include experts from around the world. This is free and open to the public. For more information, go to: law.pitt.edu/events

Scilla Wahrhaftig is a PA organizer for the National Religious Campaign Against Torture and the PA Network Against Torture

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