In recent years, allegations of abuse within Pennsylvania prisons have shocked our Commonwealth, with many individuals reporting experiencing regular violations of their civil rights. One such instance that was reported likened the treatment incarcerated people faced to a “campaign of mass torture.” While the Department of Corrections has systems for incarcerated people to report abuse and violations, any review of said reports would be done by the Department; this leads to concerns of partiality, and it may result in incarcerated people fearing retaliation for reporting the abuse they’ve suffered.
 
To ensure that the rights of Pennsylvania’s incarcerated population are maintained and upheld, I plan to introduce the Pennsylvania Prisons Oversight Act to establish an independent oversight agency which would oversee the Department of Corrections. This agency would be directed by an ombudsperson and an ombuds oversight committee, and the agency would be responsible for investigating complaints made by incarcerated people towards the Department of Corrections. The agency would have the authority to inspect Department facilities, conduct investigations, and establish safety classifications for Department facilities. Facilities with clear rights violations and safety concerns would be required to develop a corrective action plan.
 
Incarcerated people who have experienced a violation of their rights should be able to freely and securely report any and all abuses. By ensuring that bad actors are held responsible, we can foster an environment that protects incarcerated people and further increases the odds of success for individuals returning to life beyond incarceration.
 
Please join me in supporting the Pennsylvania Prisons Oversight Act, and together we can ensure that the rights of our incarcerated people are protected.