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