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Centre County celebrates correctional staff and highlights low recidivism and programming
Summary
County officials recognized correctional facility staff, described programming that officials say has driven recidivism into the low 20s, and noted the facility’s small population relative to capacity and hiring needs.
County commissioners on Tuesday proclaimed May as Corrections Employee Week and used the recognition to highlight programming, staffing and low recidivism at the Centre County Correctional Facility.
“Many of our staff are running toward danger,” Glenn, a facility leader, told the board, describing work that ranges from custody and maintenance to nursing and inmate services. He said the facility offers more than 26 weekly programs totaling roughly 148 program hours and that entry‑level officers start at $22.15 an hour.
Commissioners and correctional leaders said the facility’s population has fallen sharply over the last 13 years — a drop of more than 50% countywide — and that Centre County’s recidivism rate is currently “in the low twenties” when measured over the standard three‑year period. Commissioners credited programming, medication‑assisted treatment and partnerships with courts, public defenders and local nonprofits for reducing returns to custody.
Why it matters: officials said lower incarceration rates reduce county costs and yield social benefits because many people incarcerated are in their working years and have family care responsibilities. Commissioners also emphasized the role of the facility’s central booking center in returning officers to patrol quickly and cited the jail’s ability to host time‑sensitive hearings during the recent power outages as an operational advantage.
Glenn and deputies Danielle Manarczyk and Mike Woods described challenges inside the facility, including rising needs for medical and behavioral‑health care among incoming detainees. Commissioners said the facility functions in practice as an urgent‑care point for people arriving with acute needs and praised staff for programs intended to prepare individuals for release.
Ending: The board adopted the proclamation honoring corrections staff and encouraged residents seeking employment to consider posted openings at the correctional facility.
