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 "ith the current!tructure* +he ri!in$ co!t! of runnin$ the crumblin$, !e%erely outdated facility are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 outdated and dan$erou!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 :