The Real Cost of Prisons Weblog

The plan calls for construction of a 2,000-bed maximum-security prison and two 2,000-bed medium-security prisons.

Berks County Prison Warden George A. Wagner said a local state prison could save transportation costs but only if the state changes its system of sending inmates to the State Correctional Institution at Camp Hill, Cumberland County, for an initial screening before they are moved to one of the 25 other state prisons.

“It would also provide more jobs,” he said. “Prison is a growing industry. Many of the colleges have majors in criminal justice. For people who want to work in corrections and stay in Berks County, the only jobs available in corrections are at the county jail.”

Berks Commissioner Mark C. Scott said he would hope that building a state prison here would help with overcrowding at the county prison in Bern Township.

“A state facility could provide economic relief if it would mean that more Berks County inmates will be moving to the state prisons,” Scott said. “I hope it would curtail our overcrowding problem.”

The county jail has a capacity of 780 inmates but houses more than 1,200.

Scott said it would also provide employment opportunities.

State officials said the sale of the prison on 1,780 acres is designed to generate revenue while reducing prison overcrowding.

State prisons, which house the more serious criminal offenders, are severely overcrowded, with space for 38,547 inmates and a population of 44,365, according to the state Department of Corrections.

“It's possible that the construction of three new prisons would be offset by the price of the sale of Graterford,” said Edward Myselwicz, press secretary for the state Department of General Services.

“Gov. Ed Rendell is committed to saving taxpayers' money,” he said. “If we sell Graterford, there would be revenue for Pennsylvania.”

Officials said March 5 is the deadline to submit proposals to buy Graterford. The state Department of General Services is overseeing that process.

Officials declined to say if any applications have been submitted.

Berks County Commissioner Judith L. Schwank, board chairwoman, said she was unaware of the plans to sell Graterford.

“I am shocked,” Schwank said. “I would think it would be appropriate to give us warning.”

Commissioner Thomas W. Gajewski Sr. could not be reached for comment.

Susan McNaughton, state Department of Corrections press secretary, said Graterford is overcrowded and old.

“We obviously need more prison space for overcrowding,” she said.

But it would take about six years before inmates would be moved into the new prisons, she said.

McNaughton said some prisons are using modular housing because of overcrowding.

“We don't see any relief in the population explosion,” she said. “Whether this plan will happen will depend on what kind of response we get. Most of our newer prisons are built in the rural areas because we need land.”

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