The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections is comprised of various bureaus and offices that support the department's mission.
Directs the department’s budget, re-budget, cost projections, procurement, and fiscal functions. Also responsible for administrative activities such as the inmate banking system, office management, purchasing, automotive services, leasing contracts, grant reporting, financial audits, inventory systems, property management, and travel services.
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Oversees residential and non-residential facilities located throughout the state that serve inmates granted parole by the Pennsylania Parole Board and those under the State Intermediate Punishment program. These facilities oversee the reentry process by allowing reentrants access to employment, treatment, and educational opportunities. Also, contracts with private vendors to provide specialized treatment and supervision, many in the area of substance abuse programming.
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This division is responsible for developing and implementing security policies/procedures for emergency preparedness; conducting staffing surveys for all facilities; Special Response Teams (Hostage Rescue Teams, Hostage Negotiations Teams, Corrections Emergency Response Teams and Corrections Rifle Specialist Teams); Critical Incident Management;and coordinating and monitoring external and internal inspections. This division also serves as a resource for all statewide facility security offices.
Facility Security Division
Develops, monitors, assesses, coordinates, and revises the security procedures used for maintaining the secure, safe, and orderly operations of the facilities; conducts staffing surveys, vulnerability analyses, security assessments, and operations audits; coordinates capital case and high risk inmate transports; evaluates new products and technologies; provides technical assistance related to Perimeter Intrusion Detection Systems, communication systems, and personal alarms; coordinates distribution of protective vests and defensive weapons; and serves as a statewide resource.
Special Operations Division
Manages the training and operations of the special response teams including CERT, CRST, HNT, HRT, and FAST.
Conducts investigative operations regarding the internal affairs of the department upon the order of the Secretary and upon referrals from the Office of the Attorney General (OAG), Pennsylvania State Police (PSP), and the Office of the Inspector General (OIG). Manages and directs the statewide Drug Interdiction, Security Threat and Prison Radicalization, and Analytics Units.
Directs the statewide development, deployment, implementation, assessment, and program evaluation activities of all inmate reentry initiatives and programs. Oversees the operations and activities of the Specialized Services and Community Outreach Division and the Transition Services and Staff Liaison Division.
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Directs the operation of the Parole Services Division and Interstate Probation and Parole Services Division. This bureau operates the statewide communications center; serves as liaison with probation and parole agencies in other states; provides oversight to the institutional parole staff; and manages electronic monitoring, transports, urinalysis program, and sexually violent predator treatment tracking.
Develops, establishes, and administers minimum courses of study, training, and competency standards for firearms training for county probation and parole officers.
Monitors policies and procedures regarding the implementation of standardized and specialized inmate and reentrant treatment programs; religion and volunteer services; inmate recreational and therapeutic activities; inmate employment; inmate classification, assessment, and correctional planning; and reentrant assessment protocols. Also, assists the facilities through annual operational audits.
Directs, monitors, and assists facilities in the delivery of educational, vocational, and library services. Ensures that inmates are provided with an opportunity to receive instruction in basic skills and special education that can lead to a General Education Diploma or a Commonwealth Secondary School Diploma.
Establishes and monitors the overall policy and procedures for the department’s Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) program while ensuring federal and state compliance and program implementation. It provides administrative oversight; monitoring tools; training; investigation; and ensures diversity and inclusion recruitment, retention, and promotion. Also provides technical assistance and guidance on the management of EEO programs to the Secretary and executive staff, ensuring fair and equitable treatment for all employees, applicants for employment, and those doing business with the department.
Western Field Region Office
Coordinates and manages the activities of all districts and sub-offices in the counties of Greene, Fayette, Somerset, Bradford, Fulton, Washington, Allegheny, Westmoreland, Cambria, Blair, Huntingdon, Mifflin, Beaver, Lawrence, Butler, Armstrong, Indiana, Clearfield, Clarion, Jefferson, Elk, Mercer, Venango, Forest, Crawford, Erie, Warren, and McKean.
Central Field Region Office
Coordinates and manages the activities of all districts and sub-offices in the counties of Franklin, Adams, York, Cumberland, Perry, Dauphin, Lebanon, Lancaster, Centre, Snyder, Northumberland, Montour, Cameron, Clinton, Lycoming, Sullivan, Potter, Tioga, Union, Bradford, Schuylkill, Berks, Lehigh, Northampton, Columbia, Luzerne, Carbon, Monroe, Wyoming, Lackawanna, Susquehanna, Wayne, and Pike.
Eastern Field Region Office
Coordinates and manages the activities of all districts and sub-offices in the counties of Chester, Delaware, Philadelphia, Montgomery, and Bucks.
Plans, develops, implements, directs, oversees, and monitors department policies, guidelines, menus, diets, training, purchases, and procedures pertaining to the food service operations throughout the department. These services are provided at a level consistent with community standards through continuous quality improvement processes and coordinating services with other bureaus and state agencies. Ensures compliance with state and federal laws as they pertain to food safety.
Manages the grants-in-aid program and audits county probation/parole departments for compliance with service standards established by the Board.
Supervises and monitors the delivery of all medical and dental care services throughout the department. These services are provided at a level consistent with community standards through continuous quality improvement processes, coordinating services with other department bureaus and offices, and through networking with support services from applicable community and state agencies.
Clinical Services Division
Plans, develops, implements, directs, oversees, and monitors department policies, guidelines, programs, and procedures pertaining to the clinical care and treatment of reentrants and inmates. Care is provided at a level consistent with community standards through continuous quality improvement processes and coordinating services with other bureaus and state agencies. Ensures compliance with state and federal laws as they pertain to health care services.
Quality Assurance Division
Manages the development of policies and procedures, credentialing, professional education, communicable disease surveillance, audit of clinical processes and outcomes, disease prevention, risk management, annual operational inspections, morbidity and mortality reviews, and clinical supervision.
Develops and implements comprehensive plans to connect reentrants to affordable, integrated, accessible, and supportive housing and focuses on reentrants’ transition from department facilities into stable long-term housing.
Establishes overall policies and procedures for implementing the department’s comprehensive human resource program while ensuring compliance with federal, commonwealth, and department policies and initiatives.
The Public Safety IT Delivery Center is responsible for providing all IT support and services for the Department of Corrections, the Pennsylvania Parole Board, the Sexual Offender Assessment Board, the Office of Victim Advocate and the Firearm Education and Training Commission. Responsibilities include Business Relationship Management, Project Management, Service Desk, End User Support, Desktop Services, Solution Architecture, Application Development and Support Services and Infrastructure Services and Support.
Oversees all institutional inmate reentry activities of the institutional parole offices.
Western Institutional Region 1 Office
Coordinates and manages inmate reentry activities of the institutional offices in the counties of Fayette, Greene, Mercer, Erie, Crawford, and Forest.
Western Institutional Region 2 Office
Coordinates and manages inmate reentry activities of the institutional offices in the counties of Huntingdon, Clearfield, Somerset, and Indiana.
Eastern Institutional Region Office
Coordinates and manages inmate reentry activities of the institutional offices in the counties of Chester, and Montgomery.
Central Institutional Region Office
Coordinates and manages inmate reentry activities of the institutional offices in the counties of Cumberland, Dauphin, Centre, Northumberland, Lycoming, Schuylkill, Lehigh, Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Wayne.
Serves as a liaison with probation and parole agencies in other states. Requests the supervision of Pennsylvania adult reentrants in other states and facilitates the supervision of other states’ reentrants in Pennsylvania. Also, arranges for the return transport of probation and parole violators to Pennsylvania.
The Office of Chief Counsel provides legal representation, advice and other legal services to the Department of Corrections. The Office of Chief Counsel reports to the Governor’s Office of General Counsel.
Service Regarding State Matters
Pursuant to Pa.R.Civ.P. 402(b), we agree to waive the in-person service requirement and accept service via email at RA-CRLITIGATIONNOTIC@pa.gov. If you have any questions, please e-mail the same account.
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This office is responsible for maintaining a statewide program of independent field inspections of all county jails. Iinspection of each jail is conducted at a minimum of every 12 months and a maximum of every 24 months. Inspections determine prison compliance with controlling commonwealth statutes and regulations. The Office of County Inspections and Services provides technical services to any requesting county prison regarding the interpretation of Pennsylvania Code Title 37, Chapter 95, and resources or recommendations for best practices.
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Works cooperatively with the Department of General Services and the Department of Labor & Industry in the planning and administration of facility and land use maintenance, construction, renovation, capital projects, surplus property, and safety and environmental program. Oversees ongoing projects completed by each facility for the Department of Transportation under the Agility Program and provides annual facility inspections to ensure compliance with appropriate policies and state and local codes while monitoring the safety practices of staff and inmates.
Manages the 24/7 Communications Center that provides communications between field staff and central office in order to monitor parole operations and coordinate transports, manages the Global Positioning System program that monitors and reports parolee’s movements outside of established perimeters, manages the urinalysis program, and sexually violent predator treatment tracking.
Operates factories within the SCIs to provide inmates with vocational training and work experience in order to reduce inmate idleness while incarcerated, to assist with an inmate’s successful reentry following release from prison, and to reduce inmate recidivism by providing them the work skills to find and keep meaningful employment. The organization operates without support of the state General Fund and is financially self-supporting through the sale of its products to commonwealth agencies, other public-sector entities, educational, and non-profit organizations.
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Directs all planning and research activities within the department and provides detailed data analysis to assist in decision-making and short and long-term efforts.
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Assists the Governor’s Policy and Legislative Affairs Office with department-related issues. Works closely with legislators and tracks legislation with potential impact on the department and criminal justice matters; as well as addresses all department-related concerns from constituents of legislators. Works with outside agencies to advance the governor’s criminal justice policy agenda, as well as developing and promoting the department’s initiatives and policy agenda.Also serves as the final appeal level for all publications.
Manages the placement of the department’s inmates. Oversees the operation of the Central Transportation Services Facility to ensure its operation is efficient, safe, secure, and in compliance with applicable department policies and procedures. Ensures inmate placements, transfers, and separations from diagnostic centers, reception centers, and facilities are in accordance with approved facility capacities; security policies; and inmate medical, psychological, and drug and alcohol treatment needs. Also, develops and supervises the maintenance of standards, guidelines, and procedures for the acceptance and release of inmates entering and leaving the system, including county and federal transfers and inmate exchanges through the interstate compact agreement. Additionally, computes and reviews sentence computations; and analyzes population trends and proposed or new legislation impacts on population management, programmatic changes, and sentencing modifications.
Responds to news media requests for information about department policies, procedures, programs, employees, and inmates. Maintains the department’s social media accounts, issues press releases, and maintains the department’s blog. Communications office staff also report to the Governor’s Communications Office.
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Maintains, expands, and improves adult probation and parole personnel and program services through the grants-in-aid program. Also, audits county adult probation/parole departments for compliance with adult probation and parole field service standards established by the Board.
Provides oversight to facility psychology departments and other departments in the delivery of mental health services. Works with executive and management staff, facilities, community corrections centers, community contract facilities, and parole staff throughout the state to ensure psychological services, policies, and procedures are conducted ethically, efficiently, and effectively.
Oversees the department’s staff training program and operates and manages the department’s Training Academy. Implements and provides pre-service, in-service, and out-service training to all department employees. All levels of training are provided to state and county employees including basic training, management-level, instruction, and specialized courses. Also, hosts conferences, seminars, and courses sponsored by other state and public agencies.
Directs, manages, and implements statewide policies and procedures designed to maintain appropriate accreditation of department facilities; ensures compliance with the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA); advises and counsels inmates and reentrants on parole processes, assesses reentry plan progress and reports parole violations; coordinates pardons and commutation applications; ensures compliance with policies, procedures, and applicable laws; and serves as liaisons between institutional and parole staff.
