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Clearfield County officials decry state plans to close Quehanna boot camp; urge residents to contact legislators
Summary
County commissioners said they were "disheartened and dismayed" by the state Department of Corrections' decision to close the Quehanna Boot Camp and related correctional facilities, and encouraged residents to contact state lawmakers as commissioners pursue options with state officials.
Clearfield County commissioners said they were "disheartened and dismayed" by the Department of Corrections' announced or projected closures of the Quehanna Boot Camp and other facilities, and urged residents to contact their state legislators to oppose the closures.
Commissioners said the county had little direct authority over the state's decision but would work with state elected officials to seek alternative solutions. One commissioner described Quehanna as "a good model for Clearfield County" that provided lower-risk inmates with rehabilitative programming, and said the county had been blindsided by the announcement.
Commissioners and attendees also raised concerns about closures at other facilities mentioned in the transcript, including SCI Rockview and the Commonwealth campus previously known as Lock Haven, as contributing to a broader regional impact on rural Pennsylvania. Commissioners said potential closures could eliminate local jobs and displace families and noted the geographic constraints of the Quehanna site could make repurposing the property difficult.
The board encouraged residents to contact their state representative and state senator and said county leaders were engaging state legislators to explore whether any alternatives or mitigations were possible. No formal county action or legal challenge was recorded at the meeting; commissioners said the matter falls under state jurisdiction.
