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8/21/2019 Bobby Henon's Letter to Michael Nutter
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June 17, 2015
Honorable Michael Nutter
Mayor, City of Philadelphia
Room 215
City Hall, Philadelphia
Mayor Nutter,
! you are a"are, # introduced le$i!lation in City Council that "ould $i%e the
&epartment of Public Property authori'ation to ac(uire property at 7777 )tate Rd* in
my Council &i!trict* +hi! le$i!lation ha! been the !ubect of !ub!tantial contention
and confu!ion*
# introduced thi! bill becau!e # belie%e that "e ha%e a re!pon!ibility to replace the
e-i!tin$ Hou!e of Correction, a! there are a number of i!!ue! "ith the current!tructure* +he ri!in$ co!t! of runnin$ the crumblin$, !e%erely outdated facility are
i!!ue! of operational and .nancial e/ciency* &ue to o%ercro"din$, !tructural decay
and poor li%in$ condition!, the pri!on ha! been the !ubect of !e%eral ederal and
)tate ci%il ri$ht! la"!uit!, includin$ one currently !et to $o to trial ne-t year*
+he property on "hich the replacement facility "ould be con!tructed ha! been
%acant for decade!, "ith no !i$n of acti%ity* ut the mo!t !i$ni.cant i!!ue! are
i!!ue! of human di$nity* Ho" are "e to e-pect the inmate! at 7777 )tate Road to
emer$e a! rehabilitated citi'en!, ready to reoin our City and our "orforce, "hen
the facility that they are forced to li%e in "hile incarcerated %iolate! their ba!ic
human ri$ht!3
4hile # belie%e that mo!t of the member! of City Council a$ree that "e need to tae
action to replace the Hou!e of Correction, uninformed and politically moti%ated
critic! ha%e u!ed thi! le$i!lation to conate, re"rite, di!tort, di!tract and lie about
the intent of thi! le$i!lation* replacement for thi! outdated and dan$erou! facility
"ill not !iphon money a"ay from our ca!h !trapped !chool!6 thi! i! not a choice
8/21/2019 Bobby Henon's Letter to Michael Nutter
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bet"een !chool de!! and pri!on bed!* #t i! ea!y to play on public fear! and to
!pread mi!information to fuel a culture of inaction* #t i! much more di/cult to mae
tou$h deci!ion!, particularly "hen tho!e deci!ion! mo!t directly aect the lea!t
po"erful amon$ u!*
+hou$h # belie%e that a replacement facility !hould ha%e the !upport of e%erymember of City Council, # reco$ni'e that thi! le$i!lation ha! created an opportunity
to ha%e a public con%er!ation about i!!ue! of incarceration and the criminal u!tice
!y!tem* 8ut of re!pect for my collea$ue! and to en$a$e in a producti%e
con%er!ation about ho" to mo%e Philadelphia for"ard on the!e i!!ue!, # am tain$
the follo"in$ action!9
● Re:refer bill 150;0< to Committee* # "ill !chedule the bill for additional hearin$! in
the all and a! that any !taeholder "ith intere!t contact my o/ce to participate in
the hearin$!* #n the mean time, # "ill ho!t another !erie! of telephone to"nhall!
and # "ill attend community meetin$! to an!"er (ue!tion! and addre!! concern!*
=ltimately, thi! i! a deci!ion "e "ill liely be forced to mae, a$ain, by the ederal
$o%ernment and at $reater co!t "ith le!! mana$ement capacity*
> Creatin$ of a Philadelphia Pri!on and #ncarceration Reform 4orin$ ?roup* 4ith the
!upport of Council Pre!ident Clare, # ha%e a!ed my collea$ue Council"oman
Jannie lac"ell to co:chair thi! $roup "ith me* #n partner!hip "ith your
dmini!tration, the ir!t Judicial &i!trict, the Philadelphia Pri!on )y!tem, criminal
u!tice ad%ocate!, the )heri@! 8/ce, the ar !!ociation, the public defender!, the
&i!trict ttorney@! o/ce, correctional o/cer!, citi'en!, ci%il ri$ht! and ad%ocacy
$roup! "orin$ on behalf of the incarcerated, "e "ill "or to .nd common $round
on the i!!ue! rai!ed o%er the cour!e of the pa!t !e%eral "ee!* More informationabout thi! "orin$ $roup "ill be made a%ailable in the comin$ "ee!*
# !till belie%e the con!truction of a replacement pri!on i! a matter of both .!cal
nece!!ity and ba!ic human ri$ht!* 4orin$ concurrently "ith your dmini!tration
follo"in$ the recent Macrthur oundation $rant aimed at reducin$ our pri!on
population, it i! my $oal to .nd the mo!t comprehen!i%e, plan to do the !ame "ith
thi! $roup, "hile impro%in$ inmate and re:entry !er%ice! and pro%idin$ !afe,
humane and e/cient facilitie! for the incarcerated*
Re$ard!,
obby Henon
Councilman :
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