Update

American voters last week elected a president who promised sweeping changes to federal policy. There are many questions about how the incoming administration in Washington will affect different sectors of society, and the transition to a new presidency is always a time of uncertainty.

What is certain is that the Prison Society’s bipartisan work advocating for humane prisons and the dignity of incarcerated people will continue.

Because the federal government does not have direct control over Pennsylvania’s state prisons and county jails, it is our governor, state legislators, county commissioners, and city council members who have the real power to make a difference in the prisons where we work. The Prison Society engages Pennsylvania elected officials on both sides of the aisle – Republican and Democratic – to achieve meaningful change. These relationships have led to legislation and policy change to improve the lives of people who reside or work in state and county prisons and jails.

The election left the political makeup of the state legislature unchanged, with Democrats maintaining control of the state house and Republicans holding on to the state senate. In just the last year, Prison Society has met with 60 elected officials in Harrisburg. Our work in the state capitol has helped advance legislation to strengthen voting access in jail and enhance county jail oversight, among other initiatives. We have a Democratic state representative and a Republican state senator on our board of directors – a testament to the bipartisan nature of the Prison Society’s mission.

We also work with local elected officials in places like Philadelphia, where our executive director recently testified in support of a new prison oversight board with real power to hold the city accountable for dangerous conditions in its jails.

We bridge the gap between our elected officials and the reality of conditions on the inside by bringing them on walkthroughs of state prisons and county jails. This gives them the opportunity to see firsthand that ensuring safety and dignity in correctional facilities is a human issue that cuts across political divisions.

The Prison Society’s mission transcends partisan politics. No matter who is in power, we can and will continue to make progress for incarcerated people in Pennsylvania.