Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – The head of the Philadelphia Department of Prisons is stepping down from her position amidst concerns over inmate deaths and escapes. Blanche Carney, who has been in charge of the city’s prisons and jails since 2016, announced her retirement in a letter to staff, with her last day set for April 5, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. A spokesperson for the department has confirmed Carney’s upcoming departure.
Under Carney’s leadership, the Philadelphia lockups have faced escalating violence and the escape of four inmates within a six-month period in the previous year. The Pennsylvania Prison Society, an organization that monitors the state’s prisons, conducted interviews with nearly 50 inmates in Philadelphia and released a report highlighting the dangerous and degrading conditions within the city’s prisons. The report detailed issues such as overcrowding, inadequate healthcare, and rat-infested living spaces, resulting in deteriorating mental health among inmates. In 2022, ten inmates reportedly lost their lives in the Philadelphia prison system.
The Philadelphia correctional officers union expressed a unanimous vote of no confidence in Carney last year, citing concerns about understaffing and chaotic conditions within the facilities. Carney, who made history as the first woman to serve as prisons commissioner in Philadelphia, acknowledged the challenges faced by the department in her letter to staff, attributing some of the issues to the strain imposed by the ongoing pandemic on correctional operations worldwide.
As Carney prepares to step down from her role, the city will be tasked with addressing the systemic issues that have plagued its correctional facilities and working towards improving the conditions for both inmates and staff. The incoming leadership will likely face pressure to enact meaningful reforms to ensure the safety and well-being of individuals within the Philadelphia prison system, addressing concerns raised by advocacy groups and the community at large. With Carney’s departure, the city has the opportunity to bring about positive changes and rebuild trust in its corrections system.