Pennsylvania Prison Society

In observance of the Juneteenth, our office will be closed starting Friday, June 19, at 1 pm. We will re-open on Monday, June 22 at 9:00am.

Prisons were never designed for people to grow old and die in them. Yet thousands of Pennsylvanians are aging behind bars, often with serious health needs and few pathways home.

In this week's supporter update, we examine what it means to grow old behind bars and share five key takeaways on aging, illness, and humanity in prison.

Read more here ➡️ www.prisonsociety.org/updates/aging-illness-humanity-behind-bars

These issues were also discussed at the April 22, 2026 launch event for Dying on the Inside Podcast, featuring Cherri Gregg (WHYY’s Studio 2), Prison Monitoring Director Noah Barth (Pennsylvania Prison Society), attorney Rupalee Rashatwar (Abolitionist Law Center), Pennsylvania Representative Andre D. Carroll, and advocate Dannielle Hadley.

Last month, Prison Society staff and volunteers attended SCI Smithfield's Day of Responsibility. State prisons across the commonwealth host these programs to help incarcerated people acknowledge the impact of the decision that brought them to prison. Around 150 incarcerated men attended to listen to a variety of speakers, including folks from Journey for a Change and staff at Smithfield.

We are grateful to have been invited and encouraged to support incarcerated people as they prepare to return to their communities. Learn more about our work here ➡️ prisonsociety.org

Our Family Support Group Facilitator, Jesse Brey, defended his Ph.D. dissertation at Temple University College of Liberal Arts, titled "A Labor of Love: The Role of Incarceration in the Life Course of the Family." His research has informed how he helps co-facilitate our bi-weekly support groups, providing a safe space for folks to share the challenges they face while their loved one is incarcerated in PA.

Learn more about family support groups here ➡️ https://www.prisonsociety.org/services/family-support-groups

Prison Society staff, volunteers and community members recently attended Ear Hustle Live! at PhilaMOCA. The immersive live event explored the theme of dreaming, featuring stories from incarcerated people about their subconscious lives and future aspirations.

Named after the prison slang for eavesdropping, *Ear Hustle* was co-founded by Earlonne Woods, Antwan “Banks” Williams, and Nigel Poor in 2017 while Woods and Williams were still incarcerated in California’s San Quentin Rehabilitation Center. The podcast broke new ground by highlighting not only the post-release recollections of formerly incarcerated people, but also stories from inside prison shared by people currently behind bars.

Thank you to the Ear Hustle Podcast team for inviting us to be part of this meaningful evening. Listen to the podcast here ➡️ https://www.earhustlesq.com/

Two years ago, the Prison Society released Hungry and Malnourished In Prison, a groundbreaking report describing how people incarcerated in Pennsylvania’s prisons don’t get enough food to eat and how the food they receive lacks nutrition and leads to serious chronic illnesses.

But Pennsylvania isn’t alone.

Across the nation, people in prison aren’t getting enough to eat and are served food that isn’t healthy, tasty, or hygienic, according to a May 2026 report by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). We explore the findings and compare what we saw in our report in our most recent supporter update.

Read the supporter update ➡️ www.prisonsociety.org/updates/hungry-in-custody-new-research-about-food-in-u-s-prisons

Volunteer Prison Monitors with the Pennsylvania Prison Society visit people in prison to listen to concerns and help address issues affecting health, safety, and dignity.

Interested in getting involved? Join one of our virtual info sessions this month to learn more. Attendance at an info session is required to apply.

Register here ➡️ https://www.prisonsociety.org/events/volunteer-prison-monitor-info-session

Meet Jesse 🫂

Jesse dedicates his time to supporting Damon navigate his return home after being incarcerated. He has seen firsthand how difficult that path can be and how much it matters when someone simply shows up.

“Damon has taught me what real determination looks like, said Jesse. "He carries a kind of calmness that says, ‘I survived prison for 17 years. I know what real stress is.’ It’s changed my perspective, reminding me how small some of the things I worry about really are: what it really means to keep going, even when the odds are stacked against you.”

Your gift helps ensure that people across Pennsylvania have access to mentorship, advocacy, and critical services, both inside and outside prison 💙 Support our work today ➡️ https://www.prisonsociety.org/services/donate

The Prison Society continues to monitor conditions at the Detention Center (DC) in Philadelphia, noticing some improvements, although serious issues persist.

Read more about our walkthrough ➡️ www.prisonsociety.org/updates/the-drumbeat-continues-to-improve-conditions-and-philadelphias-detention-center-dc

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