Nov 3, 2018 2 min read

Flying under the radar at the close of the recent state legislative session was a new law that will create a formal process to consider the closure of a state prison facility. In the last five years, three state prisons have closed with little or no warning, affecting thousands of corrections officers and their families. Under this new law, a process will go into effect that will allow for a thorough review and an opportunity for communities to make their case against a potential closure, including public hearings and economic impact studies.

The Pennsylvania State Corrections Officers Association was proud to work with Gov. Tom Wolf, his administration, as well as a bipartisan group of Republican and Democratic legislators in the House and Senate, to create a new system that will ensure the well-being of corrections officers, their families and communities are strongly considered when the commonwealth looks at the potential closing of a state correctional institution. This legislation wouldn’t be possible without the bipartisan support of every member of the House and Senate, who passed this legislation unanimously.

The days of forcing corrections officers and their families to make split-second decisions about the rest of their lives are over. Our members risk their lives every day in service to their communities. This new law respects their sacrifice.

Jason C. Bloom

Harrisburg

The letter writer is president of the PSCOA.