Mortality Data and Related Policies, 2000-2020
| Submitted | May 20, 2021 |
MuckRock users can file, duplicate, track, and share public records requests like this one. Learn more.
Communications
From: COVID Prison Project
Andrew Filkosky, Agency Open Records Officer
Department of Corrections
Right-To-Know Law Office
Office of Chief Counsel
1920 Technology Parkway
Mechanicsburg, PA 17050
To Andrew Filkosky:
Pursuant to the Pennsylvania Right to Know Law, 65 §66.1 et seq., I hereby request the following records:
– Those which include time and date of all instances of death occurring in the offender population between January 2000 and December 2020.
– Those which indicate the total number of individuals in Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (PDOC) custody who died by any cause, separated monthly, from January 2000 to December 2020.
– Monthly population records that include the total number of deaths occurring among people in the custody of the PDOC between January 2000 and December 2020.
– Final reports of death for all individuals in PDOC custody who died between January 2000 and December 2020.
Additionally, I am requesting an opportunity to inspect or obtain copies of any and all PDOC policies, regulations, and procedures, pertaining to...
– Investigations of in-custody deaths.
– Requirements for the performance of an autopsy or post-mortem medical examination of individuals who die while in PDOC custody.
– The reporting of in-custody deaths to other governmental agencies.
– Next-of-kin notification in the event of in-custody deaths.
The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.
In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not. However, we respectfully request a waiver of these fees as we are affiliated with an educational or noncommercial scientific institution, and this request is made for a scholarly or scientific purpose and not for a commercial use.
The Pennsylvania Right to Know Law requires a response time within five business days. If access to the records I am requesting will take longer than this amount of time, please contact me with information about when I might expect copies or the ability to inspect the requested records. If you choose to deny this request, please provide a written explanation for the denial including a reference to the specific statutory exemption(s) upon which you rely. Also, please provide all segregable portions of otherwise exempt material.
Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter.
Sincerely,
Forrest Behne
Policy Director, COVID Prison Project
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Office: (919) 391-7962
340 MacNider Hall | Campus Box 7240
333 South Columbia Street
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7240
From: Department of Corrections
Dear Mr. Behne,
This email acknowledges receipt by the Department of Corrections of your written request for records under the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law (RTKL). Your request was received by this office on May 20, 2021. A final response will be sent at a later time as outlined below.
You are hereby notified that, for the reason set forth below, the Department will require an additional 30 calendar days, i.e. until June 25, 2021, in which to provide a final written response to your request:
* A legal review is necessary to determine whether the record requested is subject to access under the Act.
At this time, the Department is unable to provide you with an estimated cost to fulfill your current request if it is granted. Any actual or estimated fees will be identified in the Department’s future response.
Sincerely,
Andrew Filkosky | Agency Open Records Officer
Department of Corrections | Office of Chief Counsel
1920 Technology Parkway
Mechanicsburg, PA 17050
Phone: 717.728.7770 | Fax: 717.728.0312
www.cor.pa.gov<http://www.cor.pa.gov>
PRIVILEGED AND CONFIDENTIAL ATTORNEY-CLIENT COMMUNICATION
ATTORNEY WORK PRODUCT
The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to whom it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any use of this information other than by the intended recipient is prohibited. If you receive this message in error, please send a reply e-mail to the sender and delete the material from any and all computers. Unintended transmissions shall not constitute waiver of the attorney-client or any other privilege.
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Pennsylvania Right to Know Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on May 20, 2021. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Pennsylvania Right to Know Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on May 20, 2021. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Department of Corrections
Dear Mr. Behne,
This response acknowledges receipt by the Department of Corrections (the Department) of your written request for records under the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law (RTKL). Your request was received by this office on May 20, 2021.
There are too many files to display on this communication. See all files
Files
pages
