A new report from the Pennsylvania Prison Society highlights both encouraging improvements and ongoing concerns at Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility (CFCF), Philadelphia’s largest jail.
During an April 2025 walkthrough of the facility, the Prison Society — joined by Philadelphia councilmembers Kendra Brooks and Rue Landau — documented increased access to showers, phone calls, and out-of-cell time for incarcerated people. However, the report also reveals continued challenges including inadequate food, unsanitary conditions, long waits for medical and mental health care, and a persistent lack of safety.
“Conditions at CFCF are better than they were, but remain far from acceptable,” said Noah Barth, Prison Monitoring Director at the Pennsylvania Prison Society. “Our latest walkthrough shows a facility in transition, and it’s clear that oversight and sustained investment are still urgently needed.”
The Prison Society’s report is its most data-driven yet, offering year-over-year comparisons from structured interviews with incarcerated men across both general population and restricted housing units. Key findings include:
- Improved access to out-of-cell time: 57% of people interviewed in April said they had gone days without being allowed out of their cells — down from 71% in August 2023.
- Better phone access: Just 15% of interviewees reported being unable to make a daily call compared to 44% last year.
- More frequent showers: People reporting fewer than three showers per week dropped from 47% to 14%.
These improvements are attributed to increased staffing, fewer people in prison custody, and deliberate efforts by the PDP to address previous concerns.
Serious Problems Remain
Despite signs of progress, the facility remains plagued by troubling conditions:
- Unsanitary environment: 96% of respondents reported regularly seeing mice or cockroaches in their units.
- Basic hygiene lacking: Over half of interviewees reported lack of consistent access to toilet paper and/or soap.
- Delayed medical care: Two-thirds of people who requested medical attention reported waiting over a week for a response.
- Insufficient food: 86% said they do not receive enough to eat, with multiple reports of undercooked meals.
- Safety concerns: 64% of respondents reported witnessing staff-on-resident assaults.
One interviewee said, “Medical is horrible. You’ll be dead before they contact you.”
A Moment of Progress — And a Call for Accountability
This walkthrough offers a snapshot of a system in transition. Conditions at CFCF are better than they were — but they are still far from where they should be. Sustained improvement will require ongoing leadership, investment, and oversight.
That’s why we’re especially heartened by the recent passage of legislation to create a Prison Oversight Board and Office of Prison Oversight that will have the power to investigate, access records, and hold public meetings.
These reforms at CFCF come at a pivotal moment: Philadelphia has achieved a 33-year low in its incarcerated population, and the Department of Prisons just graduated its largest cadet class in decades — critical progress toward closing long-standing staffing gaps.
The Pennsylvania Prison Society will return to the prisons on State Road this August to continue monitoring conditions. The full report — including detailed comparison charts — is available at HERE.