Pennsylvania’s correction institution in Rockview in the Center is one of the four objects recommended to close. (Pa. Correction department photo)
Closing of two prison facilities in Pennsylvania, Sc-rockview in the center and Quehanna Bot camp in Clearfield, despite the opposition of local officials and prison staff.
Two prison transfer was proposed in February in the budget proposal of Governor Josh Shapiro for 2025-2026 and was put as a saving cost in connection with the decreasing imprisonment. Now, after the end report of the correction department, this process will be carried out within four months, and estimates say that it can save taxpayers of tens of millions of dollars.
However, the plan attracted mixed reactions of legislators, relationships and communities surrounding selected objects.
“Because the budget is still negotiated, the time of this decision does not make sense,” said Michael Ohler, president of Pennsylvania correction position (PSCOA). “The department is more interested in playing budget games than focusing on the safety and quality of life of our brave officials and employees. “
The Correction Department (DOC) stated that the facilities were selected on the basis of a number of factors, including the expected maintenance costs, potential impact on local economies and their proximity to other facilities in which the staff can be transferred.
According to the agency, all prisons will have the opportunity to move to another facility within a radius of 67 miles at the same employment classification and the rate of remuneration.
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Both democratic and republican legislators representing the surrounding areas issued statements opposing the plan after the release of the last DOC report.
“I am completely disappointed, frustrated and bad”, Rep. Paul Takac (D-percentre), wrote. “” The negative effects of this incorrect and harmful decision to close the SCI Rockview and Quehanna will hit immediately, and for many waves they will still resonate throughout their lives. “
“This decision is short-sighted and destructive, with real consequences for our community,” wrote Senator Wayne Langerholc (R-Clearfield) statement. “In the center of this decision there are our correction officers, men and women who put their lives on the line every day to stop the brutal criminals from our streets and maintain order in our correctional facilities. Moving forward with this closure, the Shapiro administration abandoned these devoted professionals, removing their maintenance and undermining the system that alone in the feeling and discipline.”
Concerns about the potential economic impact
The final report, convened by the control committee convened by the DOC, outlined complaints received during the public commentary.
One of the widespread criticism was that closures can ultimately cost taxpayers’ money, with objects still needing maintenance and maintenance, unless they can be sold to third parties.
But the correction department said that closing the facilities would ultimately reduce the balloon budget. And with a falling population, trapped movement should not lead to overcrowding.
“Proposals for closing the SCI Rockview and Quehanna Boot Camp will provide our staff with the greatest possibilities, will enable further care, care and control over prisoners, and soothe the worst economic consequences for the communities that are hosted by our facilities,” said the department.
The Department estimated the annual costs of running the SCi-Rockview and Quehanna Boot camp at around USD 112 million and USD 34 million, including staff costs, which constituted the majority of expenses.
The report also stated that SCi-rockview would require around $ 74.3 million to maintain in the next five years, while Quehanna may require $ 6.9 million in the same period if they were open.
Alternatively, he determined the estimated annual costs of extending the facilities to almost $ 1.6 million for sc-rockview and $ 633,600 for the trunk camp until the charts could be sold.
Ultimately, the report noted that closures can save almost $ 100 million, which can be “more intentionally delivered to other facilities.”
Another raised problem was the impact of closing on local economies around the facilities.
The DOC report included the estimated economic impact of the Community and Economic Development Department (DCed). They discovered that the local economy around Sc-rockview may face losses of up to $ 5.8 million annual payments to local suppliers, and another USD 167,000 per year per employee who moves from this area. In the area of ​​Quehanna, the impact of up to $ 1.1 million losses from annual payments for suppliers and around $ 190,000 per year per employee who moves from this area.
The report includes a letter from three commissioners of Clearfield, warning that the closing of the Quehanna shoes camp may cause a loss of 200 to 300 jobs in rural areas.
“Urban areas can potentially absorb numbers because of having a number of employers,” said the letter. “You need to use scale economy to the upcoming situations like this.”
Similarly, the Council of Commissioners of the CENTER CONTRACT warned against negative effects due to the closing of sc-rockview.
“We estimate over 50.2 million dollars of lost wages annually from the amendment industry itself,” said the letter. “These losses are also felt in spinoff tasks created from the correction industry.”
DCED said that SCi-rockView employs about 658 employees and supports about 295 additional jobs in the Center.
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Sellers of the area who provide prison, his staff and their families can lose about $ 5.8 million a year when the facility is planning.
Quehanna Bootcamp has about 234 employees and supports another 99 jobs in Clearfield. Local suppliers can lose to $ 1.1 million a year.
The facility ensures low programming of safety to prisoners to rehabilitation before re -entering society. It uses a unique six -month military program of the boot camp and is the main object for the State Drug Treatment Program. According to DOC, he provides prisoners with physical training, work and education, as well as rehabilitation therapy and programs.
Many parties, including former prisoners, wrote a document to recommend closing it because of the possibilities it gives.
“Without hesitation, I can say that SCI Quehanna Boot Camp is an effective and indispensable object,” said the defendant, who claimed that he was a former teacher of the Quehanna camp. Names and contact information have been edited from the report.
However, the department stated that there is a diminutive number of prisoners who meet the requirements for the introduction of the program. The Boot camp is an object with the lowest level of security in Pennsylvania, and with the aging population of prisoners, less who could move there, meet the physical requirements for training in the style of boot.
They said that the program would also be continued in a different form in other objects after closing Quehanna Boot Camp.
