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| PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1982 | PRINTER'S NO. 2067 |
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| THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA |
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| SENATE RESOLUTION |
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| INTRODUCED BY GREENLEAF, RAFFERTY, O'PAKE, WASHINGTON, TARTAGLIONE, FONTANA, LEACH, ALLOWAY, WILLIAMS AND FARNESE, MAY 13, 2010 |
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| AMENDED, JUNE 15, 2010 |
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| A RESOLUTION |
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1 | Directing the Joint State Government Commission to establish a |
2 | criminal justice advisory committee to study the issues |
3 | raised by The Philadelphia Inquirer of high violent crime | <-- |
4 | rates, low conviction rates, the bail system, witness |
5 | intimidation and any other relevant issues regarding the |
6 | criminal justice system in Philadelphia to develop solutions |
7 | for problems that are identified and to make a report to the |
8 | Senate with recommendations. |
9 | WHEREAS, From December 13 through December 16, 2009, The |
10 | Philadelphia Inquirer published a series of articles entitled |
11 | "Justice: Delayed, Dismissed, Denied," describing a criminal | <-- |
12 | justice system in disarray regarding the Philadelphia criminal | <-- |
13 | justice system; and |
14 | WHEREAS, The Philadelphia Inquirer It was reported that "For | <-- |
15 | three consecutive years, Philadelphia has had the highest |
16 | violent crime rate among the nation's 10 largest cities" cities | <-- |
17 | in the last three years but, with the exception of murder cases, |
18 | "Philadelphia its conviction rates trail the nation's in rape, | <-- |
19 | robbery, and serious assault cases"; cases; and | <-- |
20 | Whereas, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that | <-- |
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1 | "Philadelphia defendants are thumbing their noses at the city's |
2 | judges and victims, given a free pass by the system's |
3 | ineffective bail program – and skipping court in huge numbers"; |
4 | It was stated the bail program is ineffective; and | <-- |
5 | WHEREAS, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that "Witness | <-- |
6 | intimidation pervades the Philadelphia criminal courts, |
7 | increasingly extracting a heavy toll in no-show witnesses, |
8 | recanted testimony – and collapsed cases"; |
9 | It is alleged that witness intimidation is common; and | <-- |
10 | WHEREAS, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that many cases | <-- |
11 | fall apart in Municipal Court, "Of robbery and aggravated |
12 | assault cases filed in 2006 and 2007 in Municipal Court, about |
13 | half were immediately tossed or withdrawn – and never went to |
14 | Common Pleas Court, where felonies are decided"; and |
15 | WHEREAS, On April 19, 2010, as a follow-up to The |
16 | Philadelphia Inquirer's series, the Senate Judiciary Committee |
17 | held a public hearing in Philadelphia to receive testimony |
18 | relating to the Philadelphia criminal justice system; and |
19 | WHEREAS, Witnesses told committee members that they would |
20 | welcome a forum that would include all stakeholders in which |
21 | they could discuss Philadelphia's criminal justice system with |
22 | the other stakeholders and develop solutions; and |
23 | WHEREAS, The Joint State Government Commission has a history |
24 | of success in bringing together all stakeholders on a particular |
25 | issue and developing a consensus on how best to move forward in |
26 | resolving the issue; and |
27 | WHEREAS, Study of the criminal justice system in Philadelphia |
28 | would not only benefit Philadelphia, but the lessons learned and |
29 | recommendations made could benefit the criminal justice systems |
30 | in counties throughout Pennsylvania; therefore be it |
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1 | RESOLVED, That the Senate direct the Joint State Government |
2 | Commission to establish a criminal justice advisory committee to |
3 | study the issues raised by The Philadelphia Inquirer of high | <-- |
4 | violent crime rates, low conviction rates, the bail system, |
5 | witness intimidation and any other relevant issues regarding the |
6 | criminal justice system in Philadelphia and to develop solutions |
7 | for the problems that are identified; and be it further |
8 | RESOLVED, That the advisory committee be comprised of |
9 | approximately 30 members and include persons representing all |
10 | relevant aspects of and participants in the criminal justice |
11 | system in Philadelphia, including, but not limited to, law |
12 | enforcement, prosecutors, criminal defense attorneys, the |
13 | judiciary, crime victims and witnesses, probation and |
14 | corrections; and be it further |
15 | RESOLVED, That the advisory committee may receive input from |
16 | academia, private and public organizations involved in criminal |
17 | justice issues, other criminal justice experts and the general |
18 | public; and be it further |
19 | RESOLVED, That the advisory committee make a report to the |
20 | Senate with recommendations no later than 18 months from the |
21 | date that this resolution is adopted. |
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