The Prison Society is continuing to monitor conditions at Delaware County’s George W. Hill Correctional Facility as the county continues working to transform the jail from its troubled state three years ago, when it took back control from a for-profit corporation.
Our walkthrough of the prison in January found continued improvement, including a decrease in reports of assaults by staff. However, incarcerated people reported several ongoing issues, including a lack of staff presence on nights and weekends, problems with tablet distribution, and insufficient meal portions.
In response to these findings, Warden Laura Williams reiterated her commitment to partnering with the Prison Society to drive further progress. The county has already acted on several key recommendations from previous monitoring visits, including opening a new intake housing unit to reduce overcrowding. Now, Williams said, the county is moving forward on a $50 million renovation plan that promises to address many of the outstanding problems.
Where there is room for improvement
Prison Society staff and volunteers toured four housing areas, including restricted housing units and units for people receiving medication-assisted addiction treatment, and conducted structured interviews with 48 incarcerated people during the January 23 walkthrough.
About 40% of them reported witnessing assault by a staff member, a decrease from our previous walkthrough in March 2024, when more than two-thirds of interviewees reported this.
Incarcerated people reported that they are often locked in their cells on weekends due to staffing shortages, and that corrections officers were often not available on nights and weekends. In addition, everyone reported that the in-cell buzzers they use to get the attention of corrections officers did not work.
Two-thirds of incarcerated people interviewed reported that out-of-cell recreation was also inconsistent, indicating there was at least one day in the previous week when they did not get out at all. However, 80% said that on days when they do get out, they receive three or more hours of recreational time per day.
Problems with the distribution of prison-issued tablets also persisted, incarcerated people said, limiting access to essential information like the prison handbook. They reported that the jail employs incarcerated people called “tablet runners” to distribute the tablets, and that some people take advantage of this power by demanding payment in exchange for the devices. One incarcerated person said access to a tablet could cost $50.
Incarcerated people also reported it still frequently takes over a week to get requested medical care or counseling. In addition, almost everyone reported that the jail does not provide enough food.
Warden promises further progress
In a detailed response to the issues documented in the latest walkthrough, Warden Williams thanked the Prison Society for contributing to the transparency needed to make further progress.
“We maintain a mutual interest in increasing the standards and integrity of this institution to ensure equitable, humane, and supportive care,” Williams wrote.
The new capital improvements in George W. Hill will include 700 security cameras, new cell doors, new in-cell alert buzzers, resurfacing of all showers, an overhaul of HVAC and plumbing lines, recoating roofs, and a redesign of the kitchen. The increased surveillance the new security cameras will provide has the potential to further reduce assaults.
Williams said that out-of-cell recreation time is sometimes “withheld or modified to manage a safety concern.” Recreation was withheld facility-wide on four shifts during the month of the Prison Society’s walkthrough, she said, explaining some of the inconsistency reported by incarcerated people.
Williams also said the jail has a plan to resolve problems with tablet distribution. By the end of the year, individual incarcerated people will each be assigned a unique tablet that only they can operate. Williams said she expects this to eliminate “the possibility of alleged hoarding and extorting behavior.”
The jail would also monitor wait times for medical care, Williams said. A review of health records found an average wait time of less than 5 days in January for non-emergent care, she said. The county also added more nursing and mental health positions in the jail.
Responding to complaints about food portions, Williams said that the jail’s menus are designed to meet nutritional guidelines from the American Correctional Association. She promised to begin auditing meals to ensure that portions are sufficient.
You can read the complete walkthrough findings and the warden’s response here.