Administering the Chester County criminal justice system, or any justice system for that matter, is difficult. Costs to taxpayers can be exorbitant, rehabilitation efforts for prisons need be innovative and providing a safe environment for all involved is a must. The tasks aren’t easy.
Chester County has been addressing these issues, and we have seen tremendous progress in the past year. The average daily inmate population at Chester County Prison has decreased by 75 persons – down to 885 inmates, compared to a year ago. As the county’s population continues to increase, our relatively low crime rates compared to surrounding counties and the state and a simultaneous reduction in inmate populations are key indicators that the criminal justice system is working in our county. For county taxpayers, the decrease in the number of inmates means a substantial cost savings.
Chester County’s efforts were recognized recently by the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania, known as CCAP. The organization looked at best practices within all the county justice systems of the Commonwealth and honored Chester County in three categories. At the commissioners’ meeting on June 18, we publically recognized the dedicated employees and community partners involved in our criminal justice systems who have helped make Chester County a better place to live.
Brenda J. Brown Williams of Penn State Extension’s Economic and Community Development team was named the winner of CCAP’s Partners Award. The Chester County Youth Center nominated her for the honor. She is also a workforce development educator for Vibrant Economics. She is an expert in teaching life skills and employment readiness to members of our community. She helps people become productive members of the county’s vibrant workforce. Her program is called Skills for Taking Control of Your Future.
About five years ago, Brenda became affiliated with the County’s Youth Center through PathStone, an agency that provides an after-school program for youth. She now provides instruction at the county’s shelter and detention centers. Brenda is instrumental in turning our young people away from being housed in detention centers and to paths of academic and career successes.
CCAP also recognized the Chester County Youth Center’s Juvenile Detention Alternative Programs in the best practices category. The center has three diversionary programs that allow troubled youths a chance to stay in the community and thus have a better opportunity to become productive members of society.
The center uses an Electronic Home Monitoring program, a Weekend Respite for girls and an Evening Reporting Center for boys. By expanding our services to more at-risk youth involved in other county agencies, including Juvenile Probation and Children, Youth, and Families, youth can be diverted from being housed in detention facilities. When a juvenile is incarcerated at a young age, that juvenile is more likely to become a less productive member of society and end up in one of the nation’s prisons at some point.
CCAP also recognized the Chester County Prison’s partnership in starting an organic gardening program for female inmates. The produce grown in at the prison is given to the Chester County Food Bank and is distributed to needy families in the county. The county is partnering with Triskeles Inc., of Chester County, in the project.
A staff member of Triskeles is the instructor. Almost all of the materials needed for the raised gardens have been donated. The inmates receive valuable job training, and about a ton of food has already been raised and donated to the food bank.
The staff members at the Chester County Prison and at the Youth Center are dedicated and do a great job under, at times, difficult circumstances. The county is better served by providing opportunities to those non-violent inmates in the system, or about to enter the system, who can become productive and law-abiding citizens, thus reducing recidivism.
While our county courts and district attorney remain vigilant and tough on violent criminals, they are also working to reduce prison and youth center non-violent populations, primarily through the use of alternative sentencing options, and specialty courts, such as Veterans, Drug and Mental Health Courts. We constantly look for ways to improve what we are doing in our criminal justice system, and we thank CCAP for recognizing the efforts we have made thus far to make Chester County a better, safer place for all.
By Terence Farrell
Chairman, Chester County Commissioners
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