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PA Senate Judiciary Committee hearing held on the reprieve process of 151 state inmates during the COVID-19 pandemic

151 state inmates were released under reprieve to help lessen the prison population during the pandemic

HARRISBURG, Pa. — The State Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing Wednesday to learn more about the governor's reprieve process with state inmates. 

In an effort to fight COVID-19, 151 inmates from state correctional facilities have been released on reprieve which is essentially a modified version of house arrest. 

"This idea of social distancing," said Department of Corrections Secretary John Wetzel. "Our prisons weren't designed for this." 

There's been a lot of confusion and questions surrounding the release of inmates and concerns about them committing crimes once reprieved. However, Wetzel says, that is not happening from inmates reprieved from state correctional facilities. Wetzel says, seven of the 151 reprieved inmates have returned to prison for violating reprieve guidelines but, none of them committed a crime. 

"If they could not adhere to rules and regulations while on the street," said Ted Johnson, Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole Chairman. "That really gives us another factor to look at when looking at their parole and I can guarantee you for the most part, that will weigh heavily on their parole hearing in a negative fashion." 

All inmates needed to meet strict guidelines in order to be granted a reprieve, including not having committed a crime involving a victim. The DOC also involved district attorney's and Pennsylvania's Victim Advocate Jennifer Storm to weigh in on whether an inmate should be reprieved. 

"Secretary Wetzel and I talked everyday at the beginning of this process, and his concern for victim safety and his protection for victims was at the forefront at all times," said Storm. "This is the way he talks to me, 'Stormy, if this person is not acceptable to you or if there's a victim concerned, they're coming off the list,' and I really appreciate it and it gave me a great deal of faith in the Department of Corrections care about victims."

The Senate Judiciary Committee will now take the testimony from the hearing to look at ways to streamline the reprieve process, should it need to be done again in the future.

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