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October 15, 2007

Prison board approves emergency construction at county prison

WILKES-BARRE – The Luzerne County Prison Board this morning approved the emergency construction of additional fencing around the work release building to alleviate a critical overcrowding problem that was exasperated when other counties that had been accepting said they can no longer take them.

The board declared a state of emergency at the prison, which will allow officials to award a no-bid contract to construct the fencing. The additional fencing will allow the prison to place minimal offender inmates in the work release center, freeing up about 35 beds.

The board took the action after Warden Gene Fischi reported he was notified that several counties who had been accepting the prison’s overflow of inmates were themselves full.

Fischi said he’s hopeful the additional beds will alleviate the immediate problem, but it’s possible he may also be forced to transform the gymnasium at the prison into dormitory to house inmates.

For the complete story read Tuesday’s Times Leader

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