Pennsylvania Legislators threaten to silence people in prison. TAKE ACTION today.

Pennsylvania legislators are trying to stop prisoners from speaking about their ideas and experiences. Last week, PA Representative Mike Vereb introduced a bill (HB2533) called the “Revictimization Relief Act,” which would allow victims, District Attorneys, and the Attorney General to sue people who have been convicted of “personal injury” crimes for speaking out publicly if it causes the victim of the crime “mental anguish.”

Tell PA's next Governor: Invest in education, not incarceration!

On October 1st, Governor Tom Corbett and Gubernatorial hopeful Tom Wolf will be in Philadelphia for a debate.

During his time as Governor, Corbett has spent $685 million to expand Pennsylvania's prison system and has failed to deliver meaningful reform to bring people home from prison. Corbett has cut massive amounts of funding from public education and public services. He has cut General Assistance, put forward an inadequate Medicaid proposal, and advanced failed policies that harm young people, workers, incarcerated people, and people living with HIV and AIDS.

Action Alert – Incarcerated Activists Held in Solitary Confinement Without Charge

Incarcerated human rights activists Robert Saleem Holbrook, Edward Monroe, Nate Butler, Tyree Little, and several others have been placed in the Restricted Housing Unit at SCI Coal Township, likely as an act of retaliation because of their courageous work as advocates for justice from within Pennsylvania's prisons.

Day of action to stop anti-prisoner legislation

This summer, the PA House Judiciary Committee voted to advance a package of six anti-prisoner bills that target currently incarcerated people, persons facing charges, and their families for additional financial penalties. Decarcerate PA is working to fight these bills, which may go up for a floor vote within weeks, and we need your help!

ABC 27: Lifers should get a chance at parole, protesters say

abc27 WHTM

A scroll-like list of women's names cascaded down the Capitol steps Thursday afternoon.

They're all serving life without parole in Pennsylvania prisons and that likely means they'll die behind bars.

Since 1990, no woman's sentence has been commuted in the commonwealth.

Since 1995, only six men have been released.

Tyrone Werts is one of them.

Renewed Dining Hall Protest at SCI Coal Township: Call-in Week to Support the 22 Demands!

Prisoners at State Correctional Institution (SCI) Coal Township are renewing their protest against food cutbacks and other unjust conditions. On August 18, prisoners will stage a peaceful protest against the Dining Hall – please take action, call and write prison officials today!

Decarcerate PA's summer newsletter now out!

Check out the latest issue of Decarcerate PA's newsletter! This season we're featuring the mobilization inside and outside of prison to stop food cutbacks in the DOC, highlighting Decarcerate PA's recent Community Empowerment Award, and fighting back against legislation that would hurt prisoners and their families.

Patriot News Op Ed: Gov. Corbett's prison reform effort doesn't look much like 'justice' or 'reinvestment' at all

July 22, 2014

By Ben Felker-Quinn and Ashley Henderson

As Gov. Tom Corbett made a spectacle last week of his own priorities for next year's budget, he seemed increasingly desperate to make good on unfulfilled promises.

The same could be said of his efforts at prison reform. For the fourth year in a row, Corbett pushed through a budget that significantly increases funding for Pennsylvania's prison system, sending an additional $78 million to the Department of Corrections.