The House Democratic Policy Committee heard testimony from citizens who have served prison time, from the powerful to the pedestrian. They told legislators Tuesday night at Temple University that the system needs more resources to help rehabilitate inmates and avoid recidivism.

80,000 adults are currently incarcerated in Pennsylvania, about one percent of the state’s population, according to the Pennsylvania Prison Society. The state spends over $2 billion annually on the Department of Corrections and Governor Wolf has proposed an increase of over $5 million for the 2019-20 budget.

State lawmakers have found common ground in the past year, tackling issues such as ethics reform, drug addiction and workforce development. Legislators on both sides of the aisle have expressed an interest in even more collaborative efforts, including those that continue to address the ongoing opioid crisis, as well as occupational licensure reform. 

In the past week, a variety of proposals have been introduced in the General Assembly, touching on everything from occupational licensure to criminal justice reform. In this week’s feature, we look at some of the newest proposals introduced in Harrisburg and what they could mean for Pennsylvania citizens.

Legislators have made clear their intentions to continue efforts to trim Pennsylvania’s prison population, pointing to cost savings and the need to make the state’s criminal justice system more equitable.

But despite several major criminal justice reform measures already being introduced, the General Assembly is still in the early stages of charting its course forward on the matter. While none of the bills have gotten hearings as of yet, lawmakers have their sights set on altering the state’s probation system, moving away from cash bail and updating a major criminal justice law already on the books.

Mirroring bipartisan efforts in over 30 other states, lawmakers from both parties unveiled a bill aimed at reducing the number of Pennsylvanians on probation Monday at the state Capitol.

Senate Bill 14 would standardize guidelines issued to county probation officers as to what constitutes a technical parole violation. It would also aim to curb those technical violations, cap the total length of probation ordered for a defendant and allow termination of parole for those who demonstrate good behavior.

While the president may have received mixed reviews for his claim that “attorney client privilege is now a thing of the past,” civil rights advocates are backing up Pennsylvania inmates on the same concern with legal action.

Two lawsuits were filed against the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections this week by the state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, a Philadelphia law firm, and three criminal justice reform groups. The lawsuits are in response to a new policy that resulted from the 12 day long September prison lockdown.