Goldring Reentry Initiative

https://www.inquirer.com/news/philadelphia-prisons-jails-union-vote-no-confidence-commissioner-blanche-carney-20230503.html
The vote, by Local 159 of AFSCME District Council 33, is likely only symbolic. However, it reflects ongoing tensions within a jail system that, amid severe staffing shortages, is failing to provide constitutionally required humane conditions for prisoners, a federal monitor has found.

“This is an emergency,” Robinson said. “The chaos in the prisons, it’s gone too far. None of us feels safe. We don’t feel safe for the incarcerated persons, and we don’t feel safe for the staff. It’s time that we take a stand and let the city know how we feel.”

Philly prison union votes ‘no confidence’ in commissioner amid ‘chaos’ in the jails At least five people have died this year in the city prison system overseen by Commissioner Blanche Carney. A federal monitor has reported an ongoing failure to address unconstitutional conditions.

https://www.inquirer.com/news/pennsylvania-prison-rockview-legionnaires-disease-20230503.html

Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia, and is not spread person-to-person, but instead contracted by breathing in small droplets of water containing Legionella bacteria.

As a result, showers and water fountains have been shut off in the affected unit at the State Correctional Institution at Rockview, and inmates are being provided bottled water while testing continues, said Maria A. Bivens, press secretary for the Department of Corrections.

Inmate at Pa. state prison hospitalized with Legionnaires’ disease Officials are still trying to determine the source of the infection. In the meantime, showers and water fountains have been shut off in the affected unit and inmates are being provided bottled water.