THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY JOHNSON, WHEATLEY, BELFANTI, BRENNAN, BRIGGS, BROWN, CARROLL, COHEN, GEORGE, GIBBONS, HALUSKA, HORNAMAN, JOSEPHS, KIRKLAND, MAHONEY, MANN, MICOZZIE, MUNDY, MURPHY, MURT, PAYTON, ROEBUCK, SANTONI, SIPTROTH, THOMAS AND YOUNGBLOOD, JUNE 14, 2010

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, JUNE 14, 2010  

A RESOLUTION

Directing the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a

literature review of research and evaluation related to

current State criminal justice policies and practices to

better inform the General Assembly as the commission

undertakes to improve the policy environment for improving

public safety, cost effectiveness, overall prison

administration and fairness in the implementation of

Pennsylvania's criminal justice system; to compile and

publish a compendium of completed studies, summaries of the

study findings and abstracts of relevant ongoing or

incomplete studies; and to make this compendium available to

the General Assembly within one year from the date this

resolution is adopted.

WHEREAS, In comparison to bordering states, Pennsylvania's

violent offenses rate is higher than the rates for New Jersey,

New York, Ohio and West Virginia; and

WHEREAS, Pennsylvania's 2008 reported murder rate of 5.6 per

100,000 persons was greater than both the national rate of 5.4

and the northeastern regional rate of 4.2; and

WHEREAS, Of counties reporting murders in 2006, rates ranged

from 0 in 17 counties and 0.6 in Butler County to 22.7 in

Philadelphia County; and 

WHEREAS, Minorities make up a disproportionate share of

prison populations, and incarceration for drug crimes has had a

lopsided impact on minority communities; and

WHEREAS, Black males have a 32% chance of serving time in

prison at some point in their lives, Hispanic males have a 17%

chance and white males have a 6% chance; and

WHEREAS, The State prison population at the end of 2009

totaled 51,487 offenders. This was a 21% increase from 2005 and

more than a 130% increase from 1990; and

WHEREAS, Existing practices can incarcerate people who do not

belong in prison and distract from locking up more serious,

violent offenders who are a threat to our communities; and

WHEREAS, A total of 50,444 violent offenses were reported in

Pennsylvania during 2008. This was a 4% increase over the number

reported in 2005; and

WHEREAS, A longer trend shows reported violent offenses

increased 5.4% over ten years since 1998 and 4.6% since 2000;

and

WHEREAS, It is an extraordinary challenge for reentry

programs to maintain public safety while assisting ex-offenders

to become full, contributing members of society; and

WHEREAS, The national and northeast regional violent offense

arrest rates have increased over the past several years. While

New Jersey's rates and West Virginia's rates have decreased,

Pennsylvania's rates and its other contiguous states' rates have

increased; and

WHEREAS, Those addicted to and abusive of illicit drugs are

an estimated 10% to 20% of the drug-using population, but

account for an estimated half of all illicit drug consumption.

Treating addiction will significantly help decrease demand; and

WHEREAS, Prisons and jails nationwide have been characterized

as holding facilities for the mentally ill. An estimated 350,000

men and women with serious mental disorders are in prisons and

jails and are 12 times more likely to be in prisons than in

mental health facilities; and

WHEREAS, Prisoners are two to four times more likely to be

schizophrenic, depressed, bipolar or suffering from

posttraumatic stress disorder. Approximately 73% of mentally ill

inmates suffer from a substance abuse disorder; and

WHEREAS, Prison administration can often be uneven, lacking

clear, affirmative standards of training and performance,

varying greatly from institution to institution, locality to

locality and among Federal, State and local jurisdictions; and

WHEREAS, According to a 2007 Bureau of Justice Statistics

survey, an estimated 64.5% of all Federal and State inmates

experienced one or more incidents of sexual victimization

involving other inmates or staff; therefore be it

RESOLVED, (the Senate concurring) That the General Assembly

direct the Joint State Government Commission to undertake a

thorough review of research and evaluation studies which examine

the impact, cost and effectiveness of programs and policies

designed to:

(1)  Reduce the overall incarceration rate while

preserving public safety, cost effectiveness and societal

fairness.

(2)  Decrease prison violence.

(3)  Improve prison administration, including competence

and career enhancement of administrators.

(4)  Establish job, vocational and life skills training

of inmates in preparation for their transition to the

community.

(5)  Establish reentry programs for ex-offenders that

decrease the rates of recidivism.

(6)  Improve our Commonwealth's drug policies relating to

the criminal justice population.

(7)  Improve treatment of the mentally ill in the

criminal justice system and prison system.

(8)  Reduce disproportionate representation of minorities

in the system.

(9)  Improve responses to youth and gang violence;

and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission compile

the results of the study into a comprehensive compendium; and be

it further

RESOLVED, That the compendium contain a study abstract,

summary of findings and recommendations for each study reviewed;

and be it further

RESOLVED, That the compendium contain a study abstract for

each study found that is ongoing, in progress or incomplete; and

be it further

RESOLVED, That the compendium be published in both print and

electronic format for the members of the General Assembly; and

be it further

RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission submit

the compendium to the General Assembly as soon as possible, but

no later than one year following the adoption of this

resolution.