Overview
- The Department of Corrections announced the final decision on Sept. 19, initiating closures of SCI Rockview and the Quehanna Motivational Boot Camp on a timetable of about four months.
- All affected employees are promised job offers at their current pay and classification at nearby facilities, though the corrections officers’ union questions available openings and warns of longer, costly commutes.
- Boot camp and other specialized programs will be moved to other prisons, and incarcerated people will be transferred based on programming, security, health care and other needs.
- Rockview’s population fell by roughly 1,500 inmates since early 2025 as transfers accelerated, while the DOC points to a decade-long statewide decline as it seeks up to about $100 million in annual savings.
- Facility conditions factored into the decision, including an estimated $74 million in upgrades at Rockview and identified but smaller capital needs at Quehanna, as local officials warn of job losses and vendor revenue declines.