By: Mary Gabriele
An article published in PennLive regarding the Love in Action Rally brought to light the horrible conditions of Dauphin County Prison (DCP). More people should be talking about reform of Dauphin County Prison. Most people get to walk out of prison after serving their time. 8-year-old Christopher Phy, 36-year-old Michael Butler, and 33-year-old Justin Cofield, among too many others, did not. Dauphin County Prison is in a crisis that needs to be addressed.
These prisoners live in unsafe, disturbing conditions. The power was cut off for two weeks in one part of the jail. Living in prison without electricity is unimaginable torture. Prisoners were stripped of their clothing, leaving them with just a t-shirt and underwear.
DCP’s facilities are in tremendous need of an overhaul. A 2023 inspection of DCP found over 10 cockroaches on the floor of the jail’s kitchen. The kitchen was highly unsanitary with debris lining the floor. The inspection also noted that inmates were not getting their allotted 2 hours a day of physical exercise.
Prisons should be a place of personal growth and learning for inmates. Yes, they should be held responsible for their crimes, but prisons should aim to build a person up, not tear them down. The prisoners who were mistreated will eventually return to our community angry and frustrated. This could have violent implications. We, as a community, should not stand for the mistreatment of prisoners in the Dauphin County Prisons. They are human just like everyone else.
Mary Gabriele is a summer college intern with the World Affairs Council of Harrisburg and PennLive. She lives in Lower Paxton Township. You can read the original article here.
