PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1653 PRINTER'S NO. 1837
No. 149 Session of 2002
INTRODUCED BY GREENLEAF, COSTA, LEMMOND, BOSCOLA, EARLL, HELFRICK, KUKOVICH, O'PAKE, SCHWARTZ, M. WHITE, MELLOW, DENT, ERICKSON, FUMO, HOLL, HUGHES, LOGAN, MOWERY, MURPHY, STACK, TARTAGLIONE, THOMPSON, D. WHITE, C. WILLIAMS, KITCHEN, WOZNIAK AND A. WILLIAMS, JANUARY 10, 2002
AS AMENDED, MARCH 25, 2002
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1 Directing the Joint State Government Commission to establish a 2 bipartisan task force with an advisory committee to study and 3 make recommendations regarding the geriatric, seriously ill 4 and lifer populations in Pennsylvania State correctional 5 institutions. 6 WHEREAS, In State correctional institutions as of September 7 2001 there were 1,892 inmates 55 years of age or older, 8 comprising 5% of the total inmate population of 37,407; and 9 WHEREAS, In State correctional institutions as of September 10 2001 there were 3,718 inmates serving life sentences, comprising 11 10% of the total inmate population; and 12 WHEREAS, Of the total lifer population as of September 2001, 13 415 inmates, or 11%, were 55 years of age or older; and 14 WHEREAS, In Pennsylvania, life imprisonment means life in 15 prison without consideration for parole; and 16 WHEREAS, As of September 2001, 892 inmates in State 17 correctional institutions convicted of second degree murder are 18 serving life sentences even though their culpability may not be
1 the same as someone who committed a deliberate and intentional 2 first degree murder; and 3 WHEREAS, The lifer population in State correctional 4 institutions continues to grow, with 2,291 ten years ago, 2,973 5 five years ago and 3,718 as of September 2001; and 6 WHEREAS, The lifer population continues to age, with 55% of 7 the lifer population between 35 to 54 years of age, and has 8 little hope for pardon or commutation of sentence; and 9 WHEREAS, Many inmates suffer from serious long-term mental or 10 physical illnesses which require costly care; and 11 WHEREAS, The average cost of housing an inmate at SCI-Laurel 12 Highlands, the State correctional institution charged with 13 caring for older and infirm inmates, is currently $65,985 per 14 year per inmate; and 15 WHEREAS, Because of age, illness or rehabilitation, many 16 inmates, including some lifers, no longer pose a threat to 17 society and are being held in State correctional institutions at 18 considerable expense to taxpayers; and 19 WHEREAS, The General Assembly should consider alternatives 20 for addressing the geriatric, seriously ill and lifer 21 populations in State correctional institutions; therefore be it 22 RESOLVED (the House of Representatives concurring), That the 23 General Assembly direct the Joint State Government Commission to 24 establish a bipartisan task force consisting of two members 25 appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate, two 26 members appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate, two 27 members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives 28 and two members appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of 29 Representatives; and be it further 30 RESOLVED, That the task force create an advisory committee 20020S0149R1837 - 2 -
1 composed of representatives of the Department of Corrections, 2 the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole, THE PENNSYLVANIA <-- 3 PRISON SOCIETY, criminal justice experts and additional members 4 as the task force deems appropriate; and be it further 5 RESOLVED, That the task force study the geriatric, seriously 6 ill and lifer populations in Pennsylvania State correctional 7 institutions, review how other states deal with these 8 populations and make recommendations to the General Assembly. K27L82SFL/20020S0149R1837 - 3 -