Overcrowded prisons topic
of Parkwood meeting

By Lauren Fritsky
Times Staff Writer

The Philadelphia Prison System wants to stem the rising inmate population, according to the system’s chief of staff Michael Resnick, who spoke at the Oct. 18 meeting of the Parkwood Civic Association.
At last count, there were 9,200 incarcerated inmates — several hundred over capacity for the system — which includes five major jails at the department’s State Road complex and other smaller facilities. It costs $90.15 a day to house an inmate, an annual amount of $32,000 per year, Resnick said.
"We can send someone to Drexel (University) for that," he said.
In July 2006, Holmesburg Prison reopened after 10 years to take in some of the population. Last year, the overcrowding became the target of a federal lawsuit claiming that inmates were forced to live in inhumane conditions.
Resnick said that about 20 percent of the prison population exhibit some type of mental illness, and about half of them have serious ones. Many inmates also have drug and alcohol problems, which could be better addressed by treatment programs, not incarceration.
Current efforts being discussed to lower the population include setting up day reporting centers so that low-level offenders can stay out of incarceration but still be monitored. More counseling and treatment programs for the mentally ill and substance abusers are also being looked into.
In other news from the Oct. 18 meeting:
• Mary Tracy, executive director of the Society Created to Reduce Urban Blight (SCRUB), spoke to the group about billboards, signs and blight. The group’s Web site can be viewed at www.urbanblight.org
• Lou Farinella, the civic group’s recording secretary, gave a five-minute presentation on the history of Benjamin Rush State Park. The topic sparked a heated discussion at last month’s meeting when board members and residents accused City Councilman Brian O’Neill (R-10th dist.) of stalling the site’s transformation into a passive park by not striking a street from the city map. O’Neill said that he’s waiting for the state to promise that it will not make the park active.
Farinella said current city and state politicians were not in office when the fight to make the Benjamin Rush grounds a park began 35 years ago. He brought to the meeting pictures, maps and other paraphernalia dating back to that time.
"Those can be very non-political, very civic, because no politician that’s here now was there then," he said.
• The group again discussed plans to improve a park area at Torrey and Academy roads with a $10,000 grant given to the Friends of Poquessing Watershed by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. Enhancements, to be completed by year’s end, include more trees, benches, seating and game tables.
Civic association president Mike Hatala said the group will make sure that vandals don’t destroy the new space.
He added that the civic group will kick in another $1,000 to help with the revamping.
"We’re very appreciative they picked our corner," he said.
• The group quickly approved a homeowner’s request to enclose a garage on the 12800 block of Atmore Road.
• The group announced that state Sen. Michael Stack (D-5th dist.) will host his Senior Expo on Friday, Nov. 9, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Pennsylvania National Guard Armory, 2700 Southampton Road (at Roosevelt boulevard). Residents can meet with representatives from state agencies and community organizations, including the Pennsylvania Lottery, SEPTA and local hospitals. Refreshments will be served. ••
The Parkwood Civic Association will not have a regular meeting for the rest of the calendar year. It will next meet for a Christmas party on Thursday, Dec. 6. For more information, visit the group’s Web site at www.parkwoodcivic.com
Reporter Lauren Fritsky can be reached at 215-354-3038 or lfritsky@phillynews.com