1. Contact: Casey Bridgeford
317-250-6597
November 7, 2013
cbri@wharton.upenn.edu
City approves funding for controversial prison project
Contentious $400M Prison coming to Philly
PHILADELPHIA, PA –Philadelphia Prisons Commissioner Giorla is planning a new prison project that will
cost the city of Philadelphia at least $400 Million. Commissioner Giorla confirmed the project at a public
safety gathering put on this past Wednesday by Wharton Social Impact Initiative. This comes at a time
when a great amount of scrutiny is being placed on new prison construction. This new facility does not
have a name yet, but is planned to be built in addition to the matching $400 Million prison building
project, SCI Phoenix complex, that is currently being constructed in Collegeville, Montgomery
County.Recently, the SCI Phoenix project came under scrutiny for receiving funding at a time when
Philadelphia public schools are struggling to operate under a $304 Million funding shortfall. Critics
accused the Mayor of Philadelphia of taking money from schools to pay for the SCI Phoenix.
Mayor Nutter used twitter to broadcast a message on June 3rd defending SCI Phoenix, stating that it
“has NOTHING to do with Phila, and it is REPLACING 3 prisons in Pa.” The upcoming prison project will
offer another opportunity for the mayor to address voter disdain for rising prison spending in the face of
major education cuts.
SCI Phoenix is the nearest state owned prison to Philadelphia and houses mostly Philadelphia inmates.
Philadelphia’s new prison project will have many similarities as its Montgomery County counterpart.
Though the unnamed project will be funded through the city budget as opposed to the line item in the
state budget that currently funds SCI Phoenix.The project has also received funding during the same
legislative cycle as a major cut to Philadelphia public schools.
About Education Voters of Pennsylvania: Education Voters of Pennsylvania works to ensure political
leaders adopt and implement a pro education agenda. The organization holds political leaders
accountable if they fail to do so and support elected officials who lead the way to high quality
educational opportunities for youth.

2. Outline
Paragraph 1
(Conjunction) Philadelphia is about to build a new $400 Million prison. [novel]
Function: Reason
Paragraph 2
(for example) This prison will match the one that it is already under construction close to the city in price
and size. [logical, agree]
Function: Evidence
Paragraph 3
(that is) Philadelphia’s mayor responded to criticism about the SCI Phoenix project via social
media.[useful, impressive]
Function: Amplification
Paragraph 4
(however) SCI Phoenix and the upcoming project share many similarities, but have one distinct
difference; where their funding is coming from. [useful, convinced]
Function: Evidence
Paragraph 5
(that is) Educated Vote Pennsylvania holds elected officials accountable regarding issues related to
education. [convincing]
Function: Restatement of proposition
Proposition
Bernays’ self serving of propaganda is bad
Audience Analysis
The Philadelphia Weekly is a weekly publication that has a heavy readership between the ages og 18-34.
This publication’s readers are 42% college educated and have a median household income of $62,000.
Ms. Lester is a young mid-thirties African American female who writes about local Philly and culture.
Ultimately, this information will reach parents who are unaware that the city has just approved funding
for a new prison during the same cycle that school funding is being cut.
Goal
Illustrate how the new project is exactly what they criticized that Mayor for in the state building project.
Plan
Use examples of how the projects are alike by the new project will receive money from the city.