Since 2018, 25 people have died drug-related deaths in Philly jails, where drugs are widely accessible. As the city plans to arrest more drug users in Kensington, that has compounded safety concerns.
Drug deaths and overdoses plague Philly jails, raising concerns about plans to step up Kensington arrests
In addition to the 25, one woman took her own life while in withdrawal in the jail, according to a 2022 lawsuit. And at least three more people died in Philadelphia police holding cells, including a man who died by suicide while in withdrawal., which allows people to avoid charges and instead access services. But people with repeated arrest histories, those who are on probation, and those who, like Crawford, have open warrants, are more likely to end up in jail.
Four months ago, the jail’s medical staff began offering prisoners buprenorphine during their intake process to ease withdrawal. But, he said, a dearth of correctional officers has created a weeks-long backlog in the jail’s addiction treatment program, which is separate from the medical treatment offered at intake.
McDonough is skeptical that the city’s plan to clean up Kensington will save other young women like her daughter. A 44-year-old man who had used methamphetamine was found dead in a cell 48 hours after his arrest — and about four hours since anyone had checked on him, according to a court filing. The Philadelphia jail system’s drug treatment program is one of just three in the state that allow incarcerated people to begin taking
Herdman acknowledged that there’s currently a 15-day wait for treatment, on average, because the jails lack enough correctional officers to take prisoners to medical units. In an email, Nicolette said the loss has devastated her family. “One day I will have to explain to my children that they do not have a grandmother because the staff at the Philadelphia prison did not care when she was suffering a complete medical and mental breakdown.”
In that time, at least eight people were hospitalized for adverse reactions to drugs obtained while incarcerated. That includes three people found in a dorm May 28 experiencing “seizure-like” symptoms; a man who was revived only after three doses of naloxone on June 19; and a man who overdosed and was found on the floor of his cell on June 17.
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