COVID 19: What to Do if a Loved One is Incarcerated

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Communicating With People in Custody
People who are incarcerated in PA State facilities or Philadelphia County Jails may still communicate, according to standard policies, by telephone, email and US mail.
The DOC also announced that people housed in the state facilities will be given 5 free phone calls and be permitted to send emails at no cost to them.

Visiting People in Custody
People who are incarcerated in PA State facilities or Philadelphia County Jails may still visit with their attorneys and Prison Society’s official visitors so long as both the incarcerated person and attorney or official visitor satisfactorily pass a medical screening. All other face to face visits with people who are incarcerated have been suspended. People can sign up for 45 minute video visits with their loved ones who are in state prison on the Department of Correction website www.cor.pa.gov

Requesting and Official Prison Visitor
If you have concerns about the conditions of confinement where your loved one is housed, the Prison Society may be able to help. Visit www.prisonsociety.org  or email PPSOVRequest@gmail.com to see if an official visit is appropriate. Please note that due to the volume of requests, Prison Society may not be able to respond to everyone.

Attorney Assistance
Although the Defender Association office is currently closed to the public, our management team is working with system stakeholders to facilitate a process to safely maximize release during this unprecedented health crisis. We continue to identify clients who may be eligible for release and represent people unable to post bail during Early Bail Review hearings. This is understandably a fluid situation and there are no clear guidelines to follow.
But we continue to do everything we can to protect the health and safety of our clients in custody.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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