WHEREAS, Over the past decade, dozens of Philadelphians who were convicted of crimes have been exonerated and left prison and Pennsylvania, unlike many other states, does not have a compensation fund for the wrongly convicted; and
WHEREAS, Without this type of reentry support, cities are susceptible to lawsuits, and returning citizens are on many waiting lists for reentry services; and
WHEREAS, A system of benefits providing for the basic needs of individuals who have been wrongly imprisoned is the city’s legal responsibility and our moral duty and Justice for Exonerees proposes that the following services be provided to exonerated Philadelphians to be coordinated as their expected release date approaches; and
WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia should use tools at its disposal to provide education, housing, employment, and general reentry support to assist to the safe and smooth transition from wrongful imprisonment; and
WHEREAS, Minor municipal investments have the ability to have lifelong impacts on a number of innocent Philadelphians, their families, and their communities; and
WHEREAS, This work has the ability to create meaningful, tangible change to dozens of Philadelphian’s at little cost to the City, leading the way forward for other cities with exonerated populations; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OF PHILADELPHIA, Hereby call on the Administration to work collaboratively with Community Legal Services, Philadelphia City Council, Defender Association of Philadelphia, or other organizations to provide reentry supports to all exonerated and wrongly convicted Philadelphians.
End