[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6664868,"mediaKeyId","2370111-c67cd5e7fd6af6ec9f22d7cfc31d3adf","parentId",2370111,"title","Advocates say prison's LexisNexis access has been broken for months; deputy warden says digital access remains available","audioSeconds",658,"startMs",1507830,"endMs",2166825,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2370111-c67cd5e7fd6af6ec9f22d7cfc31d3adf&start=1507&end=2166","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2370111-c67cd5e7fd6af6ec9f22d7cfc31d3adf/thumbnail_1507830.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6664868/Lackawanna-County/Pennsylvania/Advocates-say-prisons-LexisNexis-access-has-been-broken-for-months-deputy-warden-says-digital-access-remains-available","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6664868-ad3f457cebafb4af203522c56e4b6c4a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771152459&Signature=aohg0Z~uAr7crlcCWWdMYyoH8r-mPJhnmHte34MZkiLVlNWjycZLm-Y8a7KQ8LxKhJljQtIhwkqNyerOWmBOa4P~KbPIcRT-04JkABkMHYwBby3zlF-jkzE2bt4uYsyIUqU7gGrfPsWN7KwR2q6AkzkOxrhSyX6IOfbTkxmXEuF0I08s9VfY7mwilAC0nAKTDwJRqUGOV59F4cCRomjHvytEoA6iBjSatDNLu96LuKtUIsFG86C5~zWrihnfaHuwWowdgGxGt5ICqiSJveqVH2FwiGKUhLB5FDqgyEEe4X4l2rrQpEwO3u1jph1DMvnrXR6eubEA3zcK~zNj6uuv2Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Lackawanna County, PA","date","2025-02-21T14:49:19.143Z","article","Advocates for incarcerated people told the Lackawanna County Prison Board on Jan. 22 that the prison's law-library access has been unreliable since August and that inmates in restrictive housing lack access to tablets or any reliable way to print legal documents.

\"Inside the prison, there's no physical law library. There's an app on the tablet, but the app has been broken and inconsistently available for the past six months, so since August,\" said Maggie Craig, a Scranton-based advocate, describing repeated problems and an ongoing cost of about $1,200 per month for the service.

Bev DeBauro, an advocate who also visits the facility, said inmates have struggled to print filings and that a broken copy machine and limited computer access impeded people from pursuing legal petitions and family contact. She urged the board to restore reliable access and to allow advocates greater opportunities to communicate with commissioners.

Deputy Warden Arzell responded that the facility had closed the physical room commonly referred to as the \"law library\" in August due to security concerns and misuse of the room but that the county continues to provide access to legal research software on tablets and to laptops/classroom computers on request. Arzell said staff have protocols to assist inmates who need printed materials and that he would personally check the tablet app and the mobile-cart computers.

\"We do, in fact, close the law library in August. The law library is the access to legal resources, and that's the software that we use so the inmates have access to legal resources,\" Arzell said. \"Again, that's just a physical room with several computers and a printer and the copy machine... it became an area where inmates were able to pass contraband.\"

The board agreed to include a visit to the prison for its March meeting and asked staff to check tablet access and the cart computers and report back to the commissioners.

No formal action was taken at the meeting beyond staff follow-up and a promise to check systems; the board indicated it would review the deputy warden's memo and discuss the issue further during the March site visit.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Lackawanna County Prison Board 1 22 25","oneSentenceSummary","Advocates told the Lackawanna County Prison Board on Jan. 22 that the prison's law-library access via tablets has been unreliable since August and that incarcerated people in restrictive housing lack consistent access to legal research and printing.","taxTitle","Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania","taxId",2940,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6664872,"Lackawanna County warden reports one deficiency, four citations from Title 37 inspection; says documentation fixes underway",459,683600,1143535,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2370111-c67cd5e7fd6af6ec9f22d7cfc31d3adf&start=683&end=1143","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2370111-c67cd5e7fd6af6ec9f22d7cfc31d3adf/thumbnail_683600.jpg","/articles/6664872/Lackawanna-County/Pennsylvania/Lackawanna-County-warden-reports-one-deficiency-four-citations-from-Title-37-inspection-says-documentation-fixes-underway","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6664872-8b16b6269e6f5c3fe59676367c58babd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771152459&Signature=CerE95me0ijHZFEuW22LEHs5B5hpB-uNwl5EkjAtm0B6bEGGMoZcSp~1SsiuoXGerQfb6OIM8rJfShLjLozZ08hOqe01HJEGeytwyGw2VB5uFCuVDJvOGb4Kd10wNVrStpb4RwfopOKt1LNsdmgmBTmHRpR2w-WlXb8VqD4GfMhmDjDUWPAHFdcVaEUz9erPmvIsiI6dQ1hWl~ecKFwItxJ2X62Ic5HpiMNpgycWg5h6hxh2Z3654E~DvBednvB4MuvFjalafARoQkE0RsOactqaBjVcfJqBT4ncd5NdKFm2jt6iinQGN0ceWnjrbO1wzApUU5eJdNzs76WUi9pnpw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The warden of the Lackawanna County Prison told the county commissioners on Jan. 22 that the facility's late-2024 Title 37 annual inspection produced one deficiency and four citations and that staff have taken steps to correct the problems.

The warden said the inspection cited shortcomings in the official visitors log (Title 37, section 95.233), culinary inventory and accountability (section 95.23), tool and equipment inspection documentation (section 95.24), and consistent documentation for storage of cleaning chemicals (section 95.2484). He said the findings boiled down to documentation and tracking failures rather than major operational failures and that the facility had already implemented weekly checks and retraining to make proper recordkeeping second nature.

\"The things that were cited, it all boils down to we have to do a better job with our documentation and tracking of things,\" the warden said. \"It's all about documentation. And with that, I conclude my report.\"

The warden reported the prison's average daily population for December was 671 inmates, including 540 county inmates and 131 U.S. Marshals detainees. He said staffing on shift currently breaks down to 71 full-time officers, five employees out on workers' compensation, about 97 on intermittent FMLA, one on administrative leave and five full-time vacancies. He added the five vacancies were expected to be filled the following week when five part-timers move to full time.

The warden said the prison closed several housing units as the population dipped below 700 in December, and those closures reduced the number of posts needed each day. He credited improvements late in the year to reaching full staffing levels and to the facility's medical provider working to reduce hospital visits and off-site appointments.

The warden also reported one internal investigation in December into an alleged inmate-on-inmate sexual contact; the inquiry was deemed unfounded and paperwork was forwarded to the district attorney for any further action.

The warden said the prison is scheduled for its 2025 annual inspection in early May and that supervisors are already monitoring compliance more closely.

Commissioner Joan Hodowan, speaking during public comment, had asked whether the jail's overtime budget would be sufficient after 2024 overtime ran above the budgeted amount. The warden replied that overtime improved toward the end of 2024, that keeping full-time staffing high is a key control, and that he expected similar performance going forward.

The board voted to approve the warden's report during the meeting.","The county warden told the Lackawanna County Prison Board the facility received one deficiency and four citations in its most recent Title 37 annual inspection and described staff and documentation changes intended to correct the findings. The board approved the warden's report.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6664859,"Board approves minutes, payables, financial reports and short-term investment renewal",607,8480,616385,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2370111-c67cd5e7fd6af6ec9f22d7cfc31d3adf&start=8&end=616","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2370111-c67cd5e7fd6af6ec9f22d7cfc31d3adf/thumbnail_8480.jpg","/articles/6664859/Lackawanna-County/Pennsylvania/Board-approves-minutes-payables-financial-reports-and-short-term-investment-renewal","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6664859-11d54cdde8956ed2192feb9cf91d8f43/orig.mp4?Expires=1771152459&Signature=WlzfBidu1C89zBOUjM-zuO~dYVagRmAzWDSMRHD3hoC3NqO9cBtDjtfsbiRpBrihoAmkhUAZ0fV~x0SL~f3L9SCO2qF~mPKpz~bhwnaPK9G18hLpDqK8odCetyMRESt3BgV2IJpdhBgG9-qV3RLqRhFseAFI-UUrmW8eM1TTV2gJirV7pPVhM5JCMzz87oFlMZvzbirERZCaRzD16Gx2xgUSK0gURg83cX~VDBFAbBYhG6cOVvnJdTsjxohJpy-i85c8E7buZVVMduJMwDLXW3PTrbS2kwcriyu0br6y401KMuxKiEkTwelyuV~OafYXalKV00A3AQ3zd4zIn6e~cw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lackawanna County Prison Board approved several routine measures during its Jan. 22 meeting, including meeting minutes, payables, financial reconciliations, program reports and a short-term investment renewal.

The board waived reading and approved the meeting minutes from Dec. 18, 2024. It then approved current payables for the Community Corrections Center and the county prison, which had been circulated in advance.

Comptroller D'Abilio reported that reconciliations of the inmate and canteen accounts for November 2024 matched bank statements. He reported the inmate account balance at $363,807.76 as of Dec. 31, 2024, and the canteen checking account balance at $515,991.27 as of the same date. He said the canteen account also held PLIGIT investments totaling $923,323.87 earning roughly $4,000 per month and that the board had previously voted to reinvest $857,064.56. A smaller PLIGIT investment of $105,447.80 matured Jan. 23; the board voted to reinvest that amount for another 180 days at whatever the rate would be on the maturity date.

The house arrest report for December was approved; the community corrections manager reported 70 adult house-arrest participants and 32 juveniles in the program, program revenues of $66,282.83 for December and year-to-date program totals of $710,703.31. He reported 27 program completions, eight violations and four outstanding warrants.

All routine items were approved by voice votes recorded in the transcript as \"Aye\" with \"Any opposed? The ayes have it.\" The transcript does not record roll-call tallies or named yea/nay votes.

The meeting recessed for an executive session to discuss pending legal matters and later adjourned.","The Lackawanna County Prison Board voted by voice to approve the Dec. 18 minutes, current payables for the prison and community corrections, the comptroller's reconciliations, the house arrest report and to renew a Pliggett/PLIGIT investment of $105,447.80 for 180 days.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6664863,"Reentry task force says housing fund available; $20,000 currently budgeted, application process required",178,1360670,1538730,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2370111-c67cd5e7fd6af6ec9f22d7cfc31d3adf&start=1360&end=1538","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2370111-c67cd5e7fd6af6ec9f22d7cfc31d3adf/thumbnail_1360670.jpg","/articles/6664863/Lackawanna-County/Pennsylvania/Reentry-task-force-says-housing-fund-available-20000-currently-budgeted-application-process-required","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6664863-2fb762e67e39bb5b578323dbcc0ba1a8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771152459&Signature=K3xKpOpRolw8uwsH6aEG58GSVuVwjn5hSZTjnM-TXNchOgoruqKKN-M-~DW2oZ5cdnnt2j0duRuqyMdBLyw3pP5T7cwLKAh0zHb6wmv3eUW119q8godkdl7iNdByZuHLcJ5mAecnuU4SQvht8n-wdYtWKyoCo7QylHi-us0n1fgTasQOuhPDXn-r0X0GLV6kL-sfQJHF6WwymRi1NYIMKtxiNUA~CoA9bUgPGfsm3T48WU0tZxj3r8CTqAfjS3ODX5VPBux4uQygwC~hCjHVwK5~oplV7NeUv5j8RZjm~-U5CXNpvQHznwWi-37XUA7-tFMdQTNhajIOCJq8PJcHyg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Tom McHugh, chair of the Lackawanna County Reentry Task Force, told the county commissioners on Jan. 22 that the task force has built a balance of funds to help people leaving prison secure housing and that the program has an application process involving probation.

\"We have funding up to a $100,000 a person if they request funding to help them find a safe affordable housing,\" McHugh said, describing the available support for successful home plans. He also said the task force has \"probably close to $20,000\" currently available in its budget for immediate needs such as first month's rent and security deposits.

McHugh asked that people who know someone who will be released and needs housing support contact him or the task force treasurer, and he thanked the district attorney's office and local drug- and alcohol-services partners for support. He said the program will vet requests with probation to ensure funds go to reputable landlords and appropriate housing.

No formal board action or new county funding was announced at the meeting; the announcement was to inform the public and service providers about the existing task-force resource.","The chairman of the Lackawanna County Reentry Task Force said the group has raised funds to support people leaving incarceration and that about $20,000 is currently available for initial housing needs; the group described an application and vetting process involving probation and partner agencies.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Advocates say prison's LexisNexis access has been broken for months; deputy warden says digital access remains available

Lackawanna County warden reports one deficiency, four citations from Title 37 inspection; says documentation fixes underway

Board approves minutes, payables, financial reports and short-term investment renewal

Reentry task force says housing fund available; $20,000 currently budgeted, application process required