- Pennsylvania Department of Corrections
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Pennsylvania Department of Corrections 
Patch of the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. 
Logo of the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. Agency overview Formed 1829 Preceding agency Bureau of Correction Legal personality Governmental: Government agency Jurisdictional structure Operations jurisdiction* State of Pennsylvania, USA 
Map of Pennsylvania Department of Corrections's jurisdiction. Size 46,055 square miles (119,280 km2) Population 12,448,279 (2008 est.)[1] General nature Operational structure Headquarters Lower Allen Township Agency executive John E. Wetzel, Secretary-designee Website Pennsylvania DOC Website Footnotes * Divisional agency: Division of the country, over which the agency has usual operational jurisdiction. The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (PADOC) is the Pennsylvania state agency that is responsible for the confinement, care and rehabilitation of approximately 51,000 inmates at state correctional facilities funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The agency has its headquarters in Lower Allen Township, near Camp Hill.[2][3]
As of February 2011, there are 26 state correctional institutions, one motivational boot camp, one central training academy, 15 community corrections centers, and the DOC contracts with approximately 40 contractors across the Commonwealth that provide transitional services. The DOC employs more than 16,000 individuals and houses more than 51,000 inmates.
Contents
History
Pennsylvania has a distinguished reputation in penology. The commonwealth was the birthplace of the penitentiary concept, also known as the Pennsylvania System. Eastern State Penitentiary opened in 1829, on a cherry orchard outside of Philadelphia, and was considered at the time to be “the world's greatest penitentiary.” Known to historians as "the first true penitentiary," Eastern State operated until 1970.
The Bureau of Correction was created by an act of Legislature in September 1953. The foundation was based on a report by Retired Army Major General Jacob L. Devers, and his special committee to investigate prison problems. The committee was convened shortly after riots at Pittsburgh and Rockview in early 1953. It was the committee's mission to recommend ways to improve the correctional system and reduce unrest. Up to this point the state’s prisons fell under the Department of Welfare. Here they were governed by their own boards of trustees. The Devers Committee suggested the establishment of one agency, whose sole purpose was to manage the state prison system. Appointed by Gov. John S. Fine, Arthur T. Prasse was selected as the first commissioner of corrections, where he remained until 1970.
In 1980, the Bureau of Correction changed hands from the former Pennsylvania Department of Justice, to the newly created Office of General Counsel to the Governor. Constitutional changes resulted in an elected state attorney general, and the disbanding of the Justice Department.[4]
In 1984, under Act 245, the Bureau of Correction was elevated to cabinet level status, making it the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections.[5]
Institutions
The Department of Corrections maintains 27 institutions across the state as well as the Community Corrections Center, where offenders prepare for re-entry into the community.
Adult Male Institutions
- SCI Albion - Medium Security
- SCI Camp Hill - Male Diagnostic and Classification Center
- SCI Chester - Substance Abuse Treatment Facility
- SCI Coal Township - Medium Security
- SCI Cresson - Medium Security
- SCI Dallas - Medium Security
- SCI Fayette - Maximum Security
- SCI Forest - Maximum Security
- SCI Frackville - Maximum Security
- SCI Graterford - Maximum Security
- SCI Greensburg - Medium Security
- SCI Greene - Capital Case Inmates
- SCI Houtzdale - Medium Security
- SCI Huntingdon - Close Security
- SCI Laurel Highlands - Minimum Security
- SCI Mahanoy - Medium Security
- SCI Mercer - Minimum Security
- SCI Pittsburgh - Minimum to Lower-Medium Security
- SCI Retreat - Medium Security
- SCI Rockview - Medium Security
- SCI Smithfield - Close Security
- SCI Somerset - Medium Security
- SCI Waymart - Psychiatric Care and Treatment Facility and Medium Security
Adult Female Institution
- SCI Cambridge Springs - Minimum Security
- SCI Muncy - Female Diagnostic and Classification Center, Capital Case Inmates, Close Security
Young Adult Offender
- SCI Pine Grove - Maximum Security
Co-Ed Boot Camp
- Quehanna Bootcamp - Minimum Security Motivational Bootcamp
Contract institutions
From 2010 until May 2011, Muskegon Correctional Facility in Michigan held Pennsylvania prisoners under a contract.[6]
Death row
The execution chamber of the State of Pennsylvania is on the grounds of State Correctional Institution – Rockview. Male death row inmates are housed in State Correctional Institution – Greene and State Correctional Institution – Graterford. Female death row inmates are housed in State Correctional Institution – Muncy.
See also
References
- ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for the United States, Regions, States, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2008". United States Census Bureau. http://www.census.gov/popest/states/tables/NST-EST2008-01.csv. Retrieved 2009-01-30.
- ^ "Welcome to the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections." Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. Retrieved on December 7, 2009. "2520 Lisburn Road, P.O. Box 598, Camp Hill, PA 17001-0598 (717) 975-4859 (Note: This address is for the Department of Corrections' Central Office."
- ^ "Lower Allen township, Pennsylvania." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on December 7, 2009.
- ^ http://www.cor.state.pa.us/stats/lib/stats/overview.pdf
- ^ Pennsylvania Department of Corrections history page accessed Aug. 28, 2008
- ^ Hausman, John S. "Muskegon Correctional Facility ends operations as last Pennsylvania prisoners ride out." Muskegon Chronicle. Wednesday May 25, 2011. Retrieved on June 3, 2011.
External links
Incarceration of adults in the United States Federal Bureau of Prisons List of U.S. federal prisons · Federal Prison IndustriesCorrections by U.S. state Alabama · Alaska · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · Florida · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Rhode Island · South Carolina · South Dakota · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · Washington · West Virginia · Wisconsin · WyomingFederal District Felons: Federal Bureau of Prisons, Misdemeanants: District of Columbia DOCInsular Areas US state prisons List of U.S. state prisonsCategories:- Law enforcement agencies of Pennsylvania
- State corrections departments of the United States
- State law enforcement agencies of Pennsylvania
- State agencies of Pennsylvania
- Government agencies established in 1829
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