Disappointment was evident as at least 67 attendees, many of them current correctional officers and at least one former inmate, met with the Lehigh County Commissioners’ Committee on Courts and Corrections convened via Zoom Jan. 28.

The meeting was billed as a discussion on Lehigh County’s criminal justice system, but nobody with any authority from the criminal justice system appeared for the meeting.

Disappointment started when Courts and Corrections Committee chair Dave Harrington didn’t have a quorum present to even have an official meeting. The meeting soon turned from a Q&A meeting to a venting session.

The disappointment bordering on outright anger came because of the absence of officials who could answer questions. These officials are not required to attend these meetings and for their own reasons did not attend.

These elected and appointed leaders did not attend. (Lehigh County Executive Phillips Armstrong was attending a simultaneous Planning Commission meeting.) Other key personnel, such as Director of Corrections Department Janine Donate, a representative of the District Attorney’s office, the judges, the public defender, the probation and parole authorities, and pre-trial services did not attend.

Harrington said the meeting was to get answers to questions.

“We want to see that our correction officers are healthy and that our inmates are healthy,” said Harrington.

“There were policies that came out to prevent the spread of COVID that were disseminated to the commissioners. This meeting was to talk about what came out beyond that and to give everyone that’s here the chance to speak, and to see if we can come up with some solutions. I think this is one of those things where we need to work together to find solutions. I’m here because I believe in being accountable to the public. It’s very important as a county to address this because the loss of any life is a tragedy.”

He said his “heart goes out to anyone who has been affected by this or that had relatives in the prison or loved ones that were sick or hospitalized or anything. I understand it might seem like a hollow gesture to have a meeting like this. I’m hoping that we can get some solutions out there to try to prevent any additional tragedies that would occur.”

Commissioner Dan Hartzell highlighted the problem of having a question-and-answer session when the people with answers didn’t show up.

Referring to the prepared questions and answers (see story below for a list), Hartzell said, “I only have a few questions based on Janine’s [Director Janine Donate] answers, but unfortunately she’s not here tonight.

“Are meals taken in cells? The answer is that ‘they have been eating their meals in their cells.’ I’m wondering is that since COVID or is that always [the case?]”

Hartzell again referred to answers to questions submitted and responded to before the meeting. “In response to the question about if the Community Corrections Center is closed, [Donate’s] answer is, ‘The Community Corrections Center was temporarily closed on Dec. 4 due to staffing needs and the reallocation of those services to the main jail.’

“Does that mean it is still not open? The point of that question was why don’t we use that space to spread out [the jail population] more? We don’t know.”

Harrington called for members of the administration or the judicial system to respond, but no one did. It wasn’t clear that anyone representing the administration or judicial system was present.

Jessica Ortiz of the Ortiz Ark Foundation was irritated that Donate was not present.

“Why isn’t she here? Why isn’t Janine Donate here? The letter [submitted questions and the responses] is a one-sided conversation.

“One of the concerns we have is the inmates in jail do not have enough masks and PPE.

“We sent a list of questions, not just one,” said Ortiz. “We sent about 10 to 15 questions. Not on our behalf personally, but on the community’s [interest]. When will we have an action plan? When will she give the community her face and allow us to ask her? Because the commissioners cannot answer questions about something that is not their job. So, when will she be here and at least dignify us with a response?”

Dan Falco wanted to know if the Lehigh County Jail is taking inmates from other jurisdictions, and if so, why is it doing it during a pandemic?

“We’ve got two people dead,” said Joseph Welsh, who is the executive director at Lehigh Valley Justice Institute.

“One was an inmate and one was a corrections officer. This should be of the utmost concern to anyone with a basic respect for human life.

“We’re here tonight in the midst of a double tragedy and on the precipice of a disaster. This is an emergency in the truest sense of the word.

“Both counties, Lehigh and Northampton, have a higher population than when COVID began. So, think of it. The Pa. Supreme Court issued a directive to find ways to reduce the population, population reduction programs are put into place by both counties and today, after the population reduction, we have more inmates. That doesn’t make sense.”

Welch proposed as a solution to the problem that the courts immediately end cash bail for low-level, nonviolent offenses.

“The reason we have bail is only for two purposes,” said Welsh. “One is if that person is a tremendous risk to the community … and the second whether or not that person is going to appear for their court appearance.

“Cash bail simply criminalizes poverty,” said Welsh.

He also argued for vaccinating inmates and correction officers because officers are going back and forth between the jail and the community.

“That is a no-brainer. It is a health decision to protect our entire community. Lehigh Jail is a COVID boiler.”

Maureen Simonetta asked if the commissioners had been inside of the jail. She was also upset that no one from the jail or the courts or the district attorney was present for the meeting.

Commissioner Dave Harrington, chair of the Courts and Corrections Committee and host of the Zoom meeting, explained.

“I have invited them to attend,” said Harrington. “The District Attorney has told me he has no interest in coming to these meetings, that I can’t force him to do anything, so I don’t expect him to attend these meetings.

“We have had historic participation from judges. I think the President Judges have recently switched. I assume the new President Judge will be attending these meetings in the future.”

Susan Jordhamo wanted to know, “What does it take to get the administration to hire more people?”

A self-described former inmate who said he has spent most of his life in prison wanted to know, “Who is responsible for oversight of the prison? How do we get an independent agency to go up in there and check it? They won’t show up at meetings unless they’re coming to ask for money or the community is seeking to de-fund them.

“People need to understand,” said the former inmate. “People are dying. That’s the worst way to die. Cold and by yourself.”

A person who implied she is a correction officer agreed with the former inmate. “I agree. Someone needs to come in and see what is going on in that jail. You have an administration that claim they’re trying to hire people, but people are leaving when they see the conditions we have to work under and way that we are treated.”

Another woman who seemed to be a correction officer said, “It is clear that they do not feel they have to listen to us or answer to us.”