MAYOR JIMMY KENNEY, DISTRICT ATTORNEY LARRY
KRASNER & SHERIFF ROCHELLE BILAL JOIN CITY LEADERS
& FORMERLY INCARCERATED WOMEN IN OPPOSITION TO SHACKLING PREGNANT WOMEN
PHILADELPHIA, PA – Today, Ardella’s House, the Philadelphia Commission for Women, Mayor Jim Kenney and District Attorney Larry Krasner joined formerly incarcerated women to rally in support of House Bill 900. The proposed legislation would ban shackling pregnant women who are incarcerated, prohibit solitary confinement of pregnant women, and prohibit full-body searches by male guards, among other common sense reforms.
“Shackling pregnant and laboring women is inhumane and wrong,” said Tonie Willis, founder of Ardella’s House. “This bipartisan legislation is about treating incarcerated women behind bars with dignity and respect. I urge the State Senate to recognize the unique harm faced by women behind bars and their children, and to support this commonsense bill.”
The bill is now on the House floor and is scheduled for 3rd consideration.
“Treating incarcerated women with dignity is critical to their rehabilitation and successful return to our communities,” said Susan Burton, founder of A New Way of Life and a 2023 NBC News Inspiring America honoree. “I am proud to stand with Ardella’s House and our elected leaders as we fight for a more humane criminal justice system.”
“This Bill is about addressing unjust treatment of incarcerated women,” said Mayor Jim Kenney. “Today, as we rally in support of House Bill 900, we know we have so much more to do here in Philadelphia and across Pennsylvania to provide the crucial resources and services necessary to help these women rebuild their lives, contribute to our communities, and return to their families for good.”
“Treating women in custody with care and compassion is integral to promoting health and wellbeing in our jails and prisons,” said Sheriff Rochelle Bilal. “This commonsense legislation will promote healing and rehabilitation among our most vulnerable populations.”
Ardella’s House is a member of the SAFE Housing Network, an international collective of 31 organizations dedicated to offering reentry services to formerly incarcerated women. The SAFE Housing Network is working to decarcerate the US by bringing people home to stay, helping them to heal from the trauma of incarceration, and empowering them to lead in the fight to end mass incarceration. Since opening its first homes in 2019, the SAFE Housing Network (including A New Way of Life) has housed more than 700 formerly incarcerated people. The Network has also provided other reentry services to another nearly 12,000 formerly incarcerated people since 2019.
Lack of access to housing is a primary driver of recidivism, and every year almost 2 million women are released from jails and prisons. They face countless barriers to successful reentry.
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Ardella’s House, founded in 2010, is a service and advocacy non-profit organization committed to helping women with criminal justice histories realize new possibilities for themselves and their families. Their programs make it possible for women to obtain work, housing, and health care; to rebuild their families; and to participate fully in civic life. Ardella’s House provides assistance to over 800 women and their families annually.
The Sisterhood Alliance for Freedom and Equality (SAFE) Housing Network is a project of A New Way of Life Reentry Project, which promotes healing, power, and opportunity for formerly incarcerated people by taking a multifaceted approach to mitigating the effects of, and ultimately eliminating, mass incarceration.
