The Pennsylvania correctional institution at Rockview in Centre County is among four facilities recommended for closure. (Pa. Department of Corrections photo)
The closing of two Pennsylvania correctional facilities, SCI-Rockview in Centre County and the Quehanna Boot Camp in Clearfield County, is moving forward despite opposition from local officials and prison staff.
The move to shutter the two prisons was proposed in February in Gov. Josh Shapiro’s 2025-2026 budget proposal, and was pitched as a cost-saving move amid declining incarceration. Now, following a final report from the state Department of Corrections, the process is expected to be carried out over four months, and estimates say it could save taxpayers tens of millions of dollars.
The plan, however, drew mixed reactions from state lawmakers, unions and the communities surrounding the chosen facilities.
“As the budget continues to be negotiated the timing of this decision makes no sense,” said Michael Ohler, president of the Pennsylvania State Corrections Officers Association (PSCOA). “The department is more interested in playing budget games than focusing on the safety and quality of life of our brave corrections officers and staff.”
The Department of Corrections (DOC) said the facilities were chosen based on a number of factors, including projected maintenance costs, the potential impacts to local economies and their proximity to other facilities where staff can be transferred.
All staff at the prisons will be given the opportunity to transfer to another facility within 67 miles at their same employment classification and pay rate, according to the agency.
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Both Democrat and Republican lawmakers representing the surrounding areas issued statements opposing the plan following the final DOC report’s release.
“I am thoroughly disappointed, frustrated and angry,” Rep. Paul Takac (D-Centre), wrote. “The negative impacts of this misguided and harmful decision to close SCI Rockview and Quehanna will hit immediately, and, for many, the ripples will continue to resonate for a lifetime.”
“This decision is shortsighted and destructive, with real-world consequences for our community,” Sen. Wayne Langerholc (R-Clearfield) wrote in his own statement. “At the center of this decision are our corrections officers, men and women who put their lives on the line every day to keep violent offenders off our streets and maintain order inside our correctional facilities. By moving forward with this closure, the Shapiro Administration has abandoned these dedicated professionals, stripping them of their livelihoods and undermining the very system that relies on their courage and discipline.”
Fears over potential economic impact
The final report, put together by a steering committee convened by the DOC, outlined complaints received during a public comment period.
One common criticism was that the closures could ultimately cost taxpayers money, with the facilities still requiring maintenance and upkeep unless they can be sold to a third party.
But the Department of Corrections said closing the facilities will ultimately bring down a ballooning budget. And, with a declining incarcerated population, the move shouldn’t lead to overcrowding.
“The proposals to close SCI Rockview and Quehanna Boot Camp will provide the greatest opportunities for our staff, enable the continued care, custody and control of inmates and mitigate the worst of the economic consequences for communities that host our facilities,” the department said.
Holding cells at Rockview State Prison. (Photo courtesy of the Pennsylvania Dept of Corrections)
The department estimated the annual costs of running SCI-Rockview and Quehanna Boot Camp at roughly $112 million and $34 million, respectively, including personnel costs, which made up the bulk of spending.
The report also said SCI-Rockview would require around $74.3 million for maintenance over the next five years, while Quehanna could require $6.9 million over the same period if they were to stay open.
Alternatively, it placed the estimated annual costs of mothballing the facilities at nearly $1.6 million for SCI-Rockview, and $633,600 for the boot camp until the plots could be sold.
Ultimately, the report noted the closures could save nearly $100 million that could be “more expediently delivered to other facilities.”
Another issue raised was the impact the closures could have on local economies around the facilities.
The DOC’s report included an estimated economic impact from the state Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED). They found the local economy around SCI-Rockview may face losses of up to $5.8 million in annual payments to local vendors, and another $167,000 annually per employee that moves from the area. Around Quehanna, the impact may be up to $1.1 million in losses from annual payments to vendors and around $190,000 annually per employee who moves from the area.
A letter from three Clearfield County commissioners was included in the report, warning that the closure of Quehanna Boot Camp could result in the loss of 200 to 300 jobs in the rural area.
“Urban areas have the potential to absorb the numbers because of having numerically more employers,” the letter said. “One has to apply the economics of scale to approaching situations such as this.”
Similarly, the Centre County Board of Commissioners warned of adverse impacts due to the closure of SCI-Rockview.
“We estimate over $50.2 million in lost wages annually from the corrections industry alone,” the letter said. “These losses are also felt in the spinoff jobs created from the corrections industry.”
The DCED said SCI-Rockview employs around 658 staff, and supports around 295 additional jobs in Centre County.
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Area vendors who supply the prison, its staff and their families could collectively lose around $5.8 million annually when the facility shutters.
Quehanna Bootcamp has around 234 employees and supports another 99 jobs in Clearfield County. Local vendors there could lose up to $1.1 million annually.
The facility provides low security programming for inmates with the goal of rehabilitation before reentry to society. It utilizes a unique six-month, military-style boot camp program, and is the primary facility for the State Drug Treatment Program. According to DOC, it provides inmates with physical training, work and education, as well as therapy and rehabilitative programs.
Numerous parties, including former inmates, wrote the DOC to recommend against closing it because of the opportunities it provides.
“Without hesitation, I can say that SCI Quehanna Boot Camp is an effective and essential facility,” said a respondent who claimed to be a former Quehanna Boot Camp teacher. Names and contact information were redacted from the report.
The department, however, said there is a small number of inmates who meet the requirements to enter the program. The boot camp is the lowest-security facility in Pennsylvania, and with an aging inmate population, fewer who would be allowed to transfer there meet the physical requirements for the boot camp-style training.
They said the program will also continue in another form at other facilities following Quehanna Boot Camp’s closure.