The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections has announced plans to close the Wernersville Community Corrections Center in South Heidelberg Township within the next three months, pending final implementation. The closure is part of a broader initiative affecting multiple state-run facilities, with the DOC citing operational challenges and cost-saving measures.
In a statement, South Heidelberg Township officials expressed their support for the closure, highlighting the facility’s long-standing issues. “The Wernersville Community Corrections Center has been plagued with issues since it began operation and those issues have had an adverse impact on our community and also the parolees housed there,” said Township Manager Sean A. McKee.
The closure of the Wernersville CCC will proceed alongside the shutdown of the Progress CCC in Waynesburg, Greene County. Unlike state prisons, CCCs are not subject to the public comment period required under Act 133 of 2018, and their closures are expected to be finalized within three months.
According to the DOC, all staff affected by the closure will be guaranteed job offers at their existing pay and classification at nearby State Correctional Institutions.
The planned closures, which also include SCI Rockview and Quehanna Boot Camp—both located outside Berks County—are projected to save the Commonwealth $10 million in the upcoming fiscal year, with savings expected to exceed $100 million in future years.
McKee emphasized that South Heidelberg Township will continue working with the Pennsylvania Department of General Services, state legislators, and community stakeholders to determine a beneficial future use for the Wernersville CCC site. “We hope to find a solution that will benefit our community,” he added.