The concept of parole seems familiar today.
In the mid-1800s, however, Pennsylvania had no established system that allowed incarcerated people to earn earlier release through rehabilitation or good behavior.
The Pennsylvania Prison Society believed that should change.
The issue was far from simple. Members debated whether earlier release could promote rehabilitation while also protecting public safety. Those disagreements were significant enough that some members left the organization during the debate.
Support from the Prison Society helped secure passage of early commutation laws in 1869. In the decades that followed, the Prison Society also backed reforms such as the Tustin Bill and later the Ludlow Act, each representing efforts to create fairer sentencing structures and establish reasonable limits on minimum sentences.
Today, our prison monitoring work enables us to understand conditions in correctional facilities across the state. We share this information with decision makers including correctional officials, and lawmakers, so they can make informed decisions and take action.
Beyond informing local governments, we also build coalitions with organizations advocating for criminal justice reform. Our connections allow us to tackle issues that impact incarcerated communities, such as expensive medical fees, barriers to visits from loved ones and nutritionally inadequate food.