Pennsylvania

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Tripp Laino, 202-999-4273
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FAMM urges action for Pennsylvania’s prisons after infections skyrocket at SCI Huntingdon

HARRISBURG – FAMM Pennsylvania State Director Celeste Trusty sent a letter today to Governor Tom Wolf and Secretary of corrections John Wetzel calling for increased COVID-19 testing in prisons, maintaining safe staffing levels and the release of vulnerable aging and ill people from state prison facilities.

“The rate of infection has exploded at SCI Huntingdon, and without steps taken to mitigate it, we fear this will continue to happen in facilities across Pennsylvania,” Trusty said. “The only way to get ahead of this is a serious increase in testing, and to reduce the number of people in prison who could potentially be infected.”

The Centers for Disease Control has issued interim guidance on managing COVID-19 in correctional facilities, and reducing the prison population will help meet these guidelines.

For nearly three decades, FAMM has united the voices of affected families, the formerly incarcerated, and a range of stakeholders and advocates to fight for a more fair and effective justice system. FAMM’s focus on ending a one-size-fits-all punishment structure has led to reforms to sentencing and prison policies in six states and is paving the way to programs that support rehabilitation for the 94% of all prisoners who will return to our neighborhoods one day.

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FAMM is a national nonpartisan advocacy organization that promotes fair and effective criminal justice policies that safeguard taxpayer dollars and keep our communities safe. Founded in 1991, FAMM is helping transform America’s criminal justice system by uniting the voices of impacted families and individuals and elevating the issues all across the country.