Question 3: Shall The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter be amended to provide for the creation of an independent Philadelphia Prison Community Oversight Board and Office of Prison Oversight and to further authorize City Council to determine the composition, powers and duties of the Board and Office?
Statement from the Philadelphia City Commissioners: The City’s Home Rule Charter sets up the framework of City government, Under the current Charter, an advisory board called the Board of Trustees of Philadelphia Prisons adopts standards and guidelines for the City’s prisons.
If you vote “yes” on this ballot question, that means you approve replacing the Board of Trustees of Philadelphia Prisons with a new City office headed by the Director of Prison Oversight and a board called the Philadelphia Prison Community Oversight Board.
The Office of Prison Oversight would be responsible for reviewing policies, investigating practices, and recommending changes at the Department of Prisons. It would also support the work of the Philadelphia Prison Community Oversight Board.
The Board would hold regular public meetings and advise on how to make the City’s prisons operate better and more fairly.
