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3372








november 6
Lh
, 2013


!ohn WeLzel, SecreLary
ueparLmenL of CorrecLlons
1920 1echnology arkway
Mechanlcsburg, A 17030


uear SecreLary WeLzel:

We have come Lo your offlce Loday Lo ask you Lo pull Lhe plug on Lhe new prlson
consLrucLlon ln MonLgomery CounLy. ennsylvanla does noL need and cannoL afford
Lhese prlsons. lnsLead of lnvesLlng ln new prlson beds, we belleve LhaL Lhe sLaLe should
be Laklng meanlngful sLeps Lo reduce Lhe prlson populaLlon and relnvesL money ln our
schools and communlLles. We are asklng you Lo do Lhe followlng Len Lhlngs Lo help make
Lhls happen:

1. !"#$%& ()% *+"(%+,-+. /+01-# %2/"#10-# - SCl hoenlx l and ll should be
cancelled lmmedlaLely. ConsLrucLlon should be sLopped and Lhe funds redlrecLed
Lowards educaLlon and communlLy-based reenLry servlces.
2. 3#. &-#45(%+6 1-&0("+7 $-#,0#%6%#( - Long-Lerm sollLary conflnemenL ls a form
of LorLure. 1he ueparLmenL of CorrecLlons should lmmedlaLely sLop Lhe pracLlce
of keeplng people ln lsolaLlon for exLended perlods of Llme.
3. 804)( ,-+ &0,%+1 - 1he ueparLmenL of CorrecLlons should publlcly oppose Llfe
wlLhouL Lhe osslblllLy of arole as a senLenclng opLlon. As long as Lhere are
people servlng llfe senLences ln prlson, Lhe uCC should allow Llfers' groups Lo
exlsL ln all sLaLe prlsons.
4. 31("9&01) $-66:#0(7 -;%+104)( - 1he ueparLmenL should allow on-slLe observers
from Lhe communlLles mosL lmpacLed by mass lncarceraLlon Lo monlLor Lhe
condlLlons wlLhln Lhe prlsons.
3. <%6-;% 9"++0%+1 (- /"+-&% - llnes and red Lape should noL keep anyone ln
prlson. 1he parole process should be sLreamllned so people can see Lhe parole
board as soon as Lhey are ellglble, and have access Lo Lhe programmlng people
need Lo saLlsfy parole requlremenLs.
6. 3#. ".60#01(+"(0;% (+"#1,%+1 = lncarceraLed people should have a cholce over
where Lhey are housed and should noL be sub[ecL Lo arblLrary Lransfer.
>%$"+$%+"(% ?@
C 8ox 40764
hlladelphla, A 19107
decarceraLepa[gmall.com
267-217-3372
hLLp://decarceraLepa.lnfo/donaLe
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7. A:910.0B% ,"60&7 ;010(1 - MalnLalnlng connecLlons wlLh famlly members ls
lmporLanL. 1he ueparLmenL of CorrecLlons should provlde flnanclal supporL for
vlslLs from low-lncome famllles.
8. A(-/ (-+(:+0#4 /%-/&% C0() 6%#("& 0&&#%11 - 1he ueparLmenL of CorrecLlons
should lmmedlaLely sLop houslng people wlLh menLal healLh lssues ln sollLary
conflnemenL, uslng excesslve prescrlpLlon drug admlnlsLraLlon, denylng people's
slngle cell sLaLus or revoklng z-codes of people wlLh menLal healLh lssues, and
punlshlng people wlLh menLal healLh lssues. lnsLead, people should recelve
comprehenslve quallLy menLal healLh care.
9. D#$+%"1% /+-4+"660#4 "#. %.:$"(0-# - eople need voLer educaLlon and
supporL, as well as access Lo hlgher educaLlon, [ob Lralnlng, and a wlde varleLy of
uncensored readlng maLerlals. 1he uCC should work Lo provlde more
comprehenslve programmlng and educaLlon Lo all prlsoners.
10. D6/+-;% #:(+0(0-# "#. 6%.0$"& $"+% - 1he ueparLmenL of CorrecLlons should
remove for-proflL medlcal servlces, sLop charglng prlsoners for medlcal care,
sLarL provldlng quallLy, comprehenslve care, and should provlde nuLrlLlous food
lncludlng frulLs and vegeLables.

1hank you for Laklng Lhe Llme Lo conslder Lhese demands. We LrusL we can counL on
your supporL, and LhaL you wlll do Lhe rlghL Lhlng and pull Lhe plug on prlson expanslon
ln ennsylvanla.

Slncerely,

uecarceraLe A