State lawmakers will hold a public hearing with the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday morning to address the possible closing of two of Pennsylvania's five state prisons, which include: the State Correctional Institution at Frackville; SCI Mercer, Mercer County; SCI Retreat, Luzerne County; SCI Waymart, Wayne County; and SCI Pittsburgh, Allegheny County.

Gov. Thomas Wolf announced on Jan. 6 his intentions in the document titled "Department of Corrections Plans to Close Two State Prisons in Cost Cutting Measure." The department plans to say which two prisons will be selected its final decision on Jan. 26. The closings are scheduled for June 30.Rep. Lou Barletta, R-11th District, said in a letter to Wolf, "I respectfully question how this compressed timetable will allow your administration to fully vet the impact that the closures will have. As you know, this decision will greatly impact the regional economy and officer safety, and even inmate safety."Barletta said he appreciates the governor's budgetary constraints, but thinks prisons should only be closed when they are no longer needed due to a reduction in crime and offenders, not "simply to save money."He reminds the governor of how a riot broke out 27 years ago in an overcrowded prison at SCI-Camp Hill. The incident lasted for three days and resulted in the injuring of 69 staff members, 41 inmates and seven first responders."Given this history, a full public hearing and comment period should be held before any announcement is made," he said.Barletta said he was also alarmed to learn that the capacity levels were changed in December. It changes the standard from operational capacity to emergency capacity. He said the new standard allows for the prison to place beds for inmates in common areas, gymnasiums and any space that is open."This change can obviously result in great harm to correctional officers, but also has the potential to put inmates themselves at risk," he said.In addition to physical well-being, Barletta expressed concerns about the financial impact of the closings on the communities where the prisons are located.SCI-Retreat employs 400 people from Luzerne County and 80 residents at SCI-Frackville and SCI-Waymart. Greater Nanticoke Area School District Superintendent Ronald Grevera said the closure of SCI-Retreat could result in the loss of 90 families and 200 students in the area and "jeopardize $1.6 million in funding for the school district."Organized by the Senate Majority Policy Committee, Senate Democratic Policy Committee and Senate Judiciary Committee, the hearing will begin at 9 a.m. in the Hearing Room No. 1 in the North Office Building in Harrisburg.Speakers will include Sen. David Argall, R-Schuylkill/Berks; members of the Department of Corrections, Pennsylvania State Corrections Officers Association, Pennsylvania Prison Society; Cumberland County District Attorney David Freed, and community leaders representing each of the five prisons.