On Friday, the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections announced a plan to close or reduce the population of 2 out of 5.
The Five prisons that are under consideration for closure are: SCI Mercer in Mercer County, SCI Retreat in Luzerne County and SCI Frackville in Schuylkill County, SCI Waymart in Wayne County and SCI Pittsburgh in Allegheny County.
Department of Corrections Secretary John Wetzel met with union officials and the agency’s leadership team to discuss the plan to close two prisons and reduce by half the community corrections population by June 30, 2017, as part of spending reductions in response to the state budget deficit.
SCI Frackville is reported to provide jobs for over 400 employees.
“We’ve already spoken with Governor Wolf and Secretary Wetzel and will do everything in our power to convince them to keep this facility open. We know there are facilities that are not economically viable, but Frackville is not one of them. We are sure that after the Department of Corrections does its due diligence it will see what we already know – that Frackville is a top-notch institution that must be maintained. We are hopeful the administration can strike the right balance between cost-savings for taxpayers and the safety of Pennsylvanians.” said Goodman
Goodman is now asking for his constituents help in letting leaders know that the prison needs to stay.
To sign the petition, follow the link below