PRINTER'S NO. 3510
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
906
Session of
2018
INTRODUCED BY HANNA, SNYDER, READSHAW, MURT, MILLARD, BARRAR,
BARBIN, YOUNGBLOOD, NEILSON, BURNS, DRISCOLL, SCHLOSSBERG,
CALTAGIRONE, JOZWIAK, D. COSTA, McCLINTON, J. McNEILL AND
GOODMAN, MAY 8, 2018
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, MAY 8, 2018
A RESOLUTION
Directing the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a
study on the safety of staff and corrections officers in
State prisons and submit a report of the Joint State
Government Commission's findings to the General Assembly.
WHEREAS, The Department of Corrections operates 24 State
correctional institutions, 14 community correction centers,
nearly 40 contract facilities, a motivational boot camp and a
training academy; and
WHEREAS, The Department of Corrections has a staff of
approximately 15,000 employees and oversees nearly 50,000
inmates; and
WHEREAS, The mission of the Department of Corrections is to
reduce criminal behavior by providing individualized treatment
and education to offenders and successful community
reintegration through accountability and change; and
WHEREAS, In order to carry out the mission of the Department
of Corrections, it is essential to ensure the safety and
security of staff and corrections officers; and
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WHEREAS, The Secretary of Corrections John E. Wetzel
testified during recent budget hearings in the Senate and House
of Representatives that violence in correctional institutions
has been rising; and
WHEREAS, Incidents of assault on staff by inmates occurred a
total of 801 times in 2015, which represents an increase of 10%
between 2010 and 2015 throughout the correctional system in this
Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, The goal of the Department of Corrections'
Administrative Segregation and Violence Reduction Initiative is
to use restrictive housing to ultimately reduce violence in
State prisons; and
WHEREAS, There is a need for comprehensive review to
determine the best practices and better safety protocols to
protect staff and corrections officers; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the Joint
State Government Commission to conduct a study on the safety of
staff and corrections officers in State prisons and submit a
report of the Joint State Government Commission's findings to
the General Assembly; and be it further
RESOLVED, That in conducting the study and submitting a
report of the Joint State Government Commission's findings, the
Joint State Government Commission have the following duties:
(1) Evaluate all standards, practices, regulations and
procedures applicable to staffing and the safety of
corrections officers.
(2) Provide recommendations on standardizing the
Restricted Housing Unit system to ensure each incident of
violence is handled effectively and uniformly in all
correctional institutions.
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(3) Review the process of prosecuting incidents of
assault on staff by inmates, including identifying the total
number of the assaults and how many were prosecuted or not
prosecuted during the prior year.
(4) Evaluate the commissary list to safeguard against
dangerous items being provided to inmates, such as metal
locks and knitting needles.
(5) Provide recommendations for the implementation of a
pilot program to use body-imaging search devices on inmates
in at least one correctional institution and reviewing the
cost and effectiveness of the devices in all correctional
institutions.
(6) Identify and review the use of segregation control
rooms in all correctional institutions, which have the
ability to lock cells, control water, power cells and allow
corrections officers to speak with inmates via intercom.
(7) Provide recommendations and a cost analysis for the
implementation of segregation control rooms for correctional
institutions that do not utilize segregation control rooms.
(8) Provide recommendations for new methods to improve
State prison safety for all employees at correctional
institutions.
(9) Consult with representatives from the public and
private sectors within this Commonwealth, including, but not
limited to, all of the following:
(i) Representatives from the Department of
Corrections.
(ii) Members of the General Assembly.
(iii) Representatives from law enforcement.
(iv) The Pennsylvania State Corrections Officers
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Association.
(v) The Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association.
(vi) Any other agencies or organizations that the
Joint State Government Commission deems relevant to the
study;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission accept
and review oral or written comments, documents and other
information from persons seeking to provide input regarding the
study on the safety of staff and corrections officers in State
prisons; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission submit a
report of the Joint State Government Commission's findings,
along with any statutory or regulatory recommendations, to the
General Assembly within one year of the adoption of this
resolution.
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