PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 194 PRINTER'S NO. 365
No. 19 Session of 1977
INTRODUCED BY MESSRS. RHODES AND SCIRICA, FEBRUARY 8, 1977
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, HOUSE Of
REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, FEBRUARY 15, 1977
In the House of Representatives, February 8, 1977
1 WHEREAS, It is imperative that people in Pennsylvania who
2 have been in prison or assigned to any type of correctional
3 institution or rehabilitation facility be treated in a humane
4 manner without needless brutality; and
5 WHEREAS, Allegations have been made that persons in
6 correctional facilities are not receiving proper medical care,
7 medical attention, and supervision and that the health and
8 welfare of the offenders and the employees cannot be guaranteed;
9 and
10 WHEREAS, State correctional institutions and county-operated
11 prisons are suffering from increased inmate population that has
12 brought, or will bring about in the near future, conditions of
13 inhumane and uncontrollable overcrowding; and
14 WHEREAS, This terrible overcrowding has produced increased
15 incidents of violence between inmates and correctional officers
16 thereby putting in jeopardy the safety of both the employees and
17 offenders in penal institutions; and
1 WHEREAS, No other area of government responsibility has
2 received such strenuous and widespread criticism as the
3 Commonwealth's inability to administer a correctional program
4 for youthful and adult offenders that serve to provide justice
5 for the victim and the offender while successfully halting the
6 high crime rate that plagues many of our neighborhoods; and
7 WHEREAS, It is the Commonwealth's and society's best interest
8 to give adult and youthful offenders the kind of care, treatment
9 and rehabilitation that will most readily speed their successful
10 return to society and prevent the recurrence of acts that
11 resulted in their imprisonment; therefore be it
12 RESOLVED, That the Subcommittee on Crime and Corrections of
13 the House Standing Committee on Judiciary investigate the
14 problems connected with the imprisonment and incarceration of
15 juvenile and adult offenders. This investigation shall include,
16 but not be limited to, the following problems:
17 (1) A thorough investigation of all State and county youth
18 institutions, State adult correctional facilities and county
19 prisons in the Commonwealth.
20 (2) Brutality in correctional institutions.
21 (3) The housing of youthful offenders in adult facilities.
22 (4) Educational, VOCATIONAL, COUNSELING and medical programs <--
23 in correctional institutions.
24 (5) The amounts being spent per person in correctional
25 facilities.
26 (6) The proper utilization of community treatment centers
27 and the appropriate use of probation, parole and the State
28 Pardon Board as a means of protecting society through the
29 rehabilitation of an offender in conformity with our social
30 views of justice and safety; and be it further
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1 RESOLVED, That the committee SUBCOMMITTEE ON CRIME AND <--
2 CORRECTIONS may hold hearings, take testimony, and make its
3 investigations at such places as it deems necessary within this
4 Commonwealth. It may issue subpoenas under the hand and seal of
5 its chairman commanding any person to appear before it and to
6 answer questions touching matters properly being inquired into
7 by the committee and to produce such books, papers, records and
8 documents as the committee deems necessary. Such subpoenas may
9 be served upon any person and shall have the force and effect of
10 subpoenas issued out of the courts of this Commonwealth. Any
11 person who willfully neglects or refuses to testify before the
12 committee or to produce any books, papers, records or documents,
13 shall be subject to the penalties provided by the laws of the
14 Commonwealth in such case. Each member of the committee shall
15 have power to administer oaths and affirmations to witnesses
16 appearing before the committee; and be it further
17 RESOLVED, That within 30 calendar days after the committee
18 has made its report, the chairman of the committee shall cause a
19 record of all expenses incurred by the committee, or the members
20 thereof, which are payable at Commonwealth expense, to be filed
21 with the Speaker of the House and the Speaker shall cause the
22 same to be entered in the journal thereof. No expenses incurred
23 by the committee or any member thereof shall be reimbursable by
24 the Chief Clerk unless such expense shall first have been
25 included as an expense item in the record heretofore required;
26 and be it further
27 RESOLVED, That the Commonwealth SUBCOMMITTEE report its <--
28 findings to the House as soon as possible.
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