This story originally appeared in The Centre County Gazette.
Centre County’s Prison Board of Inspectors spent its Sept. 11 meeting walking through a draft outdoor recreation feasibility study that lays out a menu of options ranging from paint and murals to multi-million-dollar outdoor fenced yards, giving inmates at the county prison some form of outside recreation.
The county Board of Commissioners earlier this year authorized a contract of no more than $82,840 for the study of outdoor recreation options at the 20-year-old jail in Benner Township following years of efforts by community advocates who said the facility’s indoor recreational area with openings for fresh air is insufficient.
Brian Endler of the consulting company GFT, which conducted the feasibility study, summarized what works and doesn’t in the facility’s existing “urban yards,” which are enclosed rooms attached to each housing unit. The strengths, Endler said, are security, efficient supervision and all-weather access. The challenge, he added, is that “everyone feels like you’re inside … they’re not really big … [and] very echoey.”
From there, the study offered two tracks: upgrade the indoor yards or add true outdoor space.
Low-cost indoor upgrades include repainting and murals, with optional acoustic panels, at an estimated $15,000 to $20,000 per yard. A second step would be to cut in a larger screened opening to boost air and views ($45,000 to $60,000 per yard) or, alternatively, install a secure window for daylight and sightlines ($25,000 to $40,000 per yard).
Outdoor concepts scale up in size and cost. One option fences off the narrow courtyards outside the urban yards, with a single-row anti-climb fence or a double-row perimeter, with preliminary estimates placing those at roughly the mid-$200,000s to $300,000 per yard. Prices increase for double fencing and added cameras, lighting and access controls. A larger set of yards on the east side of the site is estimated at roughly the high-$600,000s to the $900,000s per yard (single-row fence), and up to about $1 million (double-row fence). The biggest concept — two large fields at the north end with walking tracks — carries the highest price tag, estimated at about $1.75 million for single-row fencing and around $2 million with a double row fence.
Security drove much of the discussion. The study flagged concerns about contraband thrown or flown into yards via drones and noted that drone-detection systems that cover an entire complex can approach seven figures. Staff stressed that any added outdoor area would require in-person supervision and could not be monitored solely by cameras.
Staffing implications varied by option. For the smallest outdoor yards closest to housing, the preliminary model assumed one additional officer at a fixed guard post while the yard is in use. The largest yards could require many more officers inside the yard, according to the presentation.
In an interview with The Centre County Gazette, Jenna Henry from Central PA United urged the board to keep the goal simple.
“People have to be able to touch grass and feel the sun,” Henry said.
Janet Irons from the Centre County Prison Society added during the interview with The Centre County Gazette that, “I think that there’s a balance between staffing and design, and I’m actually okay to have that conversation. I think it’s a necessary conversation,” Irons said.
Irons nodded toward the future of the Centre County Correctional Facility.
“I do think that it would be nice if the decision makers didn’t focus on the small things and recognize that they’re making an investment in the future. Not only the future of the prison, but also they’re making an investment in the lives of these people. The bottom line is people have to get outside,” Irons said.
In a written response to questions by email to The Centre County Gazette, Warden Glenn Irwin said recreation “has always been part of the CCCF,” noting that “individuals incarcerated here can be out of their assigned cell on average of 12 to 14 hours per day.” He said the prison offers “over 20 programs” plus tablet-based education and emphasized that the Department of Corrections “has determined that our urban yards meet the requirements of the law.”
Irwin added in his statement, “The CCCF has always successfully passed our inspections from the PA Department of Corrections. Our current recreation opportunities follow PA Title 37 section 95, which are the state mandated guidelines for the operation of a county correctional facility. The PA Department of Corrections has determined that our urban yards meet the requirements of the law.”
On staffing, Irwin stated that depending on the option chosen, needs range “from zero additional officers, to approximately fifteen additional officers … to operate a traditional outdoor recreation area.” He also cited security concerns whenever adding new access points, including contraband and escape risks.
Also regarding staffing, Irwin said he hopes to utilize corrections officers that may not wish to relocate to another facility when at Rockview state prison and Quehanna Boot Camp close.
“We welcome anyone to apply for a correction officer position. Especially those who may be displaced from Rockview or the Quehanna Boot Camp,” he said.
Next steps include finalizing the report, prioritizing improvements, assessing budget and funding.
The board’s next meeting is scheduled for 8 a.m. on Oct. 9.
