ANOTHER OPINION: Corrections Secretary Busted – By An Inmate

PENNA. Dept. of Corrections Secretary John Wetzel.

 TO: Mr. Secretary John Wetzel,

Penna. Secretary of Correction

FROM: Inmate Dante Overby, SCI Rockview

I saw your testimony about reducing the federal prison population on C-SPAN 2 and it appeared to me you were out of touch with reality.

You testified Pennsylvania has “closed two prisons.” Reality is, those prisons were closed for repairs; funds have just become available in the state budget for those repairs; and both prisons are slated for re-opening, in addition to the opening of a new prison, SCI Benner.

You also testified, under the policies you promulgated, “Pennsylvania [state prisons] saw a reduction in the prison population.” Reality is, that statement does not take into account the backlog of newly sentenced prisoners who languish in county jails due to the lack of bed-space in state prisons, nor does it account for those state prisoners who are being sent from state prisons to county jails to serve state sentences, in violation of 42 Pa.C.S.A. § 9762 (a)(1), and they are all wards of the state.

And then you testified, “Drug use is the biggest driver of prison populations.” Reality is, in Pennsylvania there are three drivers of the prison population:

• People who violate their county probation/parole are resentenced to a term of state incarceration, in violation of 42 Pa.C.S.A. § 5505.

• The State Parole Board “taking the street time” of those who violate the terms of parole, in violation of 42 Pa.C.S.A. § 5505.

• The Pennsylvania Parole Board is at liberty to keep the prisons overcrowded by giving out “hits” to prisoners who are not to their liking, instead of release being governed by statute like it is in California and Nebraska.

I penned this missive because I liken your testimony on this topic to “the blind leading the blind”, as your testimony was based largely on misinformation. To help cure your blindness, I have armed you with the reality-based drivers of the Pennsylvania prison population.

Decarcerate Pennsylvania!

(EDITOR’S NOTE: The Philadelphia Public Record is delivered each week by mail to several hundred inmates in state prisons who call Philadelphia home.)

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