The Pennsylvania Prison Society acknowledges the Philadelphia Department of Prisons (PDP) on last week’s graduation of its largest cadet class in more than a decade—a significant step toward addressing the severe staffing shortages that have impacted conditions in Philadelphia’s jails since the pandemic, and continue to affect facilities across the state.
Through 15 independent walkthroughs of Philadelphia’s jails over the past four years—including our most recent at Curan-Fromhold Correctional Facility (CFCF) on April 11, 2025—we continue to observe many persistent challenges that put incarcerated people at risk, including inconsistent staff presence, particularly at night and on weekends.
As new cadets join the ranks, we remain hopeful that increased staffing levels will translate to safer, more humane conditions for both staff and incarcerated people. We are committed to ongoing monitoring and transparency and will continue to work with PDP leadership and community stakeholders to advance lasting change across the system.