Why has no decision been made on Rockview and Quehanna? PA DOC won’t give details
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Shapiro administration continues review of Rockview and Quehanna closures.
- Closure delay strains Centre County workforce, economy and elected officials.
- DOC cites shrinking prison population and high costs as closure justifications.
Despite months of public input and internal review, Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration says it is still evaluating whether to close Rockview state prison and Quehanna Boot Camp — without specifying what exactly remains under consideration.
In response to questions about whether a decision has been made or if the proposal is tied to the ongoing state budget impasse, a state Department of Corrections spokesperson said only that the agency is continuing to “analyze the impact” of potential closures on operations.
A final report detailing closure decisions is pending and will include a review of stakeholder and community feedback, the spokesperson said. It will be made public when it is available, as required by the state law.
The process began in February when the DOC first floated the proposal. After accepting public comment for three months, the agency expected to make its decision known by the end of May.
In an email Wednesday, the department did not clarify whether both facilities remain on the chopping block or what alternative cost-saving measures might be considered if the administration backs off the proposal.
The monthslong delay in a decision has tested the patience of some Centre County families and lawmakers who told the Centre Daily Times the uncertainty is taking a toll.
Had Shapiro’s administration approved the proposal in May, the facilities could have closed by the end of September. Under state law, facilities must remain open for at least four months after a closure is finalized — pushing the earliest possible shutdown to January.
That’d be unwelcome news for hundreds in Centre County. The county commissioners, the union that represents corrections officers and a bipartisan group of state lawmakers are among those who have pleaded for the administration to reverse course.
The DOC has pitched the proposal as a way to save tens of millions of dollars in the face of shrinking state prison populations, high vacancy and turnover rates among corrections officers and soaring overtime costs.
Rockview is the second-oldest of the nearly two dozen in the DOC system and the agency has said it would require $74 million in upgrades over the next five years — the highest cost of any state prison. Community members and elected officials have repeatedly questioned that estimate.
Together, Rockview and Quehanna employ about 850 people. The state has said every affected staff member is guaranteed a job offer at their current pay and classification, though it has made no promises about shift assignments or transfer locations.
Some lawmakers, including State Rep. Paul Takac, D-College Township, have taken the delay as a possible sign the administration is reconsidering.
“If the perception was that it was a done deal, I think the fact that they are continuing to take a hard look at this is encouraging,” Takac said in July.
Centre County’s commissioners estimated the central Pennsylvania economy stands to lose $118 million annually if the closures are approved and warned of “potential disaster” in a March letter sent to DOC Secretary Laurel R. Harry.
The Pennsylvania Prison Society has been generally supportive of the proposal, saying it could save money and keep Pennsylvanians safe if done properly. Rockview, the nonprofit has said, is in serious disrepair.
