Criminal Justice fellows in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

By Catherine Nichols

Philadelphia was enjoying unusually mild late summer weather the day eight young lawmakers from Alaska, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nebraska, Rhode Island, South Dakota, and Vermont converged for an impactful three-day experiential learning trip. 

The attending lawmakers are all members of Future Caucus’ Criminal Justice Innovation Fellowship, a bipartisan program designed to equip legislators with the tools and resources that they need to design and advance criminal justice reforms in their home states. During the two-year-long fellowship, participating lawmakers meet every month with subject matter experts and each other to share ideas, learn about cutting-edge policy approaches to longstanding issues, and explore possibilities for their states, nurturing a culture of cross-partisan collaboration and open inquiry. On an annual experiential learning trip, the fellows have a rare opportunity to not just discuss policy ideas, but to experience their implementation and learn from the practitioners and populations most impacted. Pennsylvania has a long history of forward-thinking approaches to criminal justice, making it the perfect classroom for this cohort of fellows.

Upon arriving in historic Philadelphia, the fellows connected over a dinner full of cheering and shuffleboard games before beginning their deep-dive into criminal justice policy. Celeste Trusty, State Legislative Affairs Director at Families for Justice Reform (FAMM), joined the group at dinner, accompanied by the family member of a person incarcerated at Pennsylvania’s State Correctional Institution-Chester (SCI-Chester), the state prison anchoring the fellows’ visit. Over a shared meal, the fellows learned from Celeste about the impact that prison policies have on families and community members, and they were able to reflect together on the significance of criminal justice reform in preparation for their site visit the next day. 

SCI-Chester, located just south of Philadelphia on the western shore of the Delaware River, is home to Little Scandinavia, an all-male, medium-security wing based on Scandinavian prison models—a quieter space where residents live in single-person cells with a shared kitchen and outdoor green space. Residents work, get treatment, and attend school within the SCI-Chester system and then return home to their own cells at the end of the day, with the goal of mitigating unnecessary harm to incarcerated people and preparing for smoother reentry into society post-incarceration. On site, the lawmakers met with people involved at all levels of planning and implementing the policies, including East Coventry Township Chief of Police Bill Mossman; John Wetzel, who served as Secretary of Corrections when Little Scandinavia opened; and David Buckley, Director of Programs at the Youth Sentencing and Reentry Project (YSRP). 

Visiting the prison gave the lawmakers insight far beyond the nuts and bolts of criminal justice policy, thanks to the opportunity to talk with SCI-Chester Superintendent Gina Clark and hear from several of Little Scandinavia’s residents. The personal aspect of the tour was deeply impactful and gave the visit a level of authenticity that several lawmakers noted they had never experienced on prison tours in their home states. After dedicating so much time, energy, and effort to learning about the legislative side of prison initiatives, connecting on a human level with the people whose daily lives are fundamentally shaped by state criminal justice policies was a moving reminder of the power and meaning that their work has. 

Following the site visit, the group enjoyed a dine-around historical tour of the city, during which they reflected on their role as legislators in the greater context of the nation’s founding—and nearly 250 years of nonlinear progression. Together, they celebrated Philadelphia’s cultural and culinary heritage, soaking in the city’s fascinating history and discussing where their next steps might take them. 

The fellows spent their last morning together reflecting on the lessons of their visit—and those lessons’ potential application in their own capitals. While for some, the prospect of their state’s own Little Scandinavia might seem out of reach, they acknowledged that even small steps can make a significant difference for their constituents—and put them on track to greater reforms over time. Though the eight lawmakers returned home to different political climates and contexts, the conversion of perspectives and exposure to new insights gave each of them fresh questions to ask and ideas to pursue. 

For these eight lawmakers, the trip was far more than just a change of scenery. Through in-depth policy discussions, the hands-on site visit, and strengthening their own interpersonal connections, they left Philadelphia feeling inspired, hopeful, and ready to continue on their mission of working across the aisle to make tangible, positive change for their communities and states.