Resolution 220853
Encouraging the Law Department to file a lawsuit against the State of Pennsylvania seeking injunctive relief for their refusal to take custody of juveniles sentenced to state facilities who are currently housed at the Philadelphia Juvenile Justice Services Center (PJJSC).
Introduced by
From the floor
Passages in the official transcripts that cite this file number. Every quote links to its exact place in the record.
“Good morning. My name is Sarah Morris. I'm the Director of Youth Art and Self-Empowerment Project. We're a youth-focused organization working to support young people in the carceral system. I've been working with young people who are held in both the juvenile and the adult system in Philadelphia for about 16 years. I'm here to speak on Council Resolution 220853 on the conditions at JJSC and the lawsuit that has alrea…”
Ms. Morris · Stated Meeting, October 27, 2022 · Oct 27, 2022 · official transcript, this passage
“Good morning, everybody. James Aye. My last name is pronounced Aye. So thank you for having me here this morning. Again, my name is James Aye. I'm the co-founder and Associate Director for a program called Youth Empowerment for Advancement Hangout, better known as YEAHPhilly. I'm here today regarding House Resolution 220853, and of course I oppose. This is not the answer to addressing the issues at the Juvenile Justi…”
Mr. Aye · Stated Meeting, October 27, 2022 · Oct 27, 2022 · official transcript, this passage
“I'm testifying on Resolution 220853 in opposition. My name is Kendra Van Dewater and I'm the Executive Director of Youth Empowerment for Advancement Hangout, also known as YEAHPhilly. We work with teens and young adults 15 to 24 who live in West and Southwest neighborhoods and are directly impacted by violence. So majority of our population we work with has spent time in the Juvenile Justice Services Center, also kno…”
Ms. Van Dewater · Stated Meeting, October 27, 2022 · Oct 27, 2022 · official transcript, this passage
“My name STATED MEETING 59 10/27/2022 is Hannah Pretiva-Spielberg. For many years I've had the gift of learning from and working beside young people impacted by incarceration in Philadelphia as well as many fellow advocates who you heard speak today and the social work director for the Youth Art and Self-Empowerment Project and was also a social service advocate for youth while at the Defender Association between 2014…”
Ms. Pretiva-Spielberg · Stated Meeting, October 27, 2022 · Oct 27, 2022 · official transcript, this passage
“Good morning. Hi. My name is Gabby Jackson and I'm with a community organization in the City of Philadelphia. And, again, like I'll be talking on like the Bill 220853. So currently in the State of Pennsylvania -- well, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia youth make up 44 percent of incarcerated youth, with that being 12 percent of the state population. Seventy-seven percent of those youth are Black and brown youth, and that c…”
Ms. Jackson · Stated Meeting, October 27, 2022 · Oct 27, 2022 · official transcript, this passage
“-please read the title of Resolution No. 220853.”
Council President Clarke · Stated Meeting, October 27, 2022 · Oct 27, 2022 · official transcript, this passage
Status timeline
- Oct 20, 2022Introduced and Ordered Placed On Next Week's Final Passage Calendar · CITY COUNCIL
- Oct 27, 2022ADOPTED · CITY COUNCIL
Official documents
Documents open on the City of Philadelphia’s legislative site.
Full text
Read the full text as published
..Title Encouraging the Law Department to file a lawsuit against the State of Pennsylvania seeking injunctive relief for their refusal to take custody of juveniles sentenced to state facilities who are currently housed at the Philadelphia Juvenile Justice Services Center (PJJSC). ..Body WHEREAS, The Philadelphia Juvenile Justice Services Center (PJJSC) is Philadelphia's only secure juvenile detention center; and WHEREAS, PJJSC holds juveniles at the request of the Courts while they wait for their cases to be heard and decided; and WHEREAS, Juveniles that have been sentenced to state correctional facilities remain at PJJSC before they are picked up by the State; and WHEREAS, The State has not picked up over seventy juveniles sentenced to their facilities, leading to PJJSC surpassing its 180-person capacity limit; and WHEREAS, PJJSC is currently facing staffing shortages due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the unsafe working conditions within the facility, and the amount of overtime work required to compensate for the staffing shortage; and WHEREAS, PJJSC employees that are currently working at the facility are taking on two-to-three sixteen-hour workdays a week; and WHEREAS, The overcrowding of juveniles, coupled with severe understaffing at the facility, has led to dangerous conditions within PJJSC for both juveniles and employees; and WHEREAS, Recently, in the midst of trying to break up a fight between two juveniles housed at the facility, twenty PJJSC employees, including Youth Detention Counselors, Supervisors, and Shift Managers, were injured. The police had to be called to PJJSC, and several staff and at least one resident had to be taken out of the facility by Emergency Medical Services personnel; and WHEREAS, It is the responsibility of the State to take into their care the juveniles that have been put under their supervision by the Courts. Their refusal to do so continues to pose a significant threat to the safety of juveniles housed at the facility and facility staff; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That it hereby encourages the Law Department to file a lawsuit against the State of Pennsylvania seeking injunctive relief for their refusal to take custody of juveniles sentenced to state facilities who are currently housed at the Philadelphia Juvenile Justice Services Center (PJJSC). ..End