The Philadelphia Prison Society was founded in 1787 to alleviate prisoner miseries through prison visits. In 1977 it established an arts program allowing prisoners to express themselves creatively. Nearly 300 volunteers now visit prisoners across Pennsylvania each year, continuing the Society's mission of over 225 years.

1. 1787
Founded as the Philadelphia Society for
Alleviating the Miseries in Public Prisons.
Pioneered prison visits.
Celebrating 225 Years of Volunteers
1977
Established the Arts and Humanities Program, where
a group of professional artists helped prisoners at
state prisons express themselves through
creativity, and helped create ties between
prisoners and the outside community.
1978
Held first Conveners Conference to “train the trainers.”
This first conference was in Harrisburg.
1992
“Year of the Mural” — An activities room at SCI
Muncy was painted in Egyptian décor; three mu-
rals were painted at Holmesburg; a mural was
painted at the Visitors Room at the House of Cor-
rection.
1990
Directed the effort to reaffirm
official prison visitation for
Prison Society
volunteers and
for public officials.
2012
Nearly 300 Prison Society Official
Visitors volunteered to visit prisoners
throughout the state.
1991
Mary DeWitt’s “Doing Life”
exhibit was shown at the Levy
Gallery, Moore College of Art. It
included her portaits of men and
women serving life sentences at
SCIs Graterford and Muncy. DeWitt
was part of the Prison Society’s Arts
and Humanities Program.
1829
Prison Society volunteers granted
access to prisons through act of
legislature unmatched anywhere
in the nation.
1965
Volunteers drove destitute parents to
visit their teens in prison. These 120
Philadelphia youths would not otherwise
have received visits
from their parents.
1971
Hired first full-time Director of Volunteer Services.