Over the last few years, Quehanna Boot Camp staff (specifically, Major Frazer Blake, CCPM Jim Stover, Captain Scott Carter and Records Supervisor Bonnie Fish) have been visiting other PA DOC facilities, judges, district attorneys, attorneys and community events to discuss both the Boot Camp and State Intermediate Punishment programs. The goal of these presentations is to increase awareness of the programs offered at the Quehanna Boot Camp and the success that has been experienced.
It has been beneficial to meet with judges, district attorneys and attorneys to explain how the Boot Camp works. While inmates are only in the Boot Camp program for an average of six months, they are kept to a rigid schedule from the time they wake up till they go to bed, expected to keep their areas and clothing neat and orderly at all times, participate in physical training, treat staff and each other with respect and participate in educational/vocational programs. This has resulted in an increase in the number of inmates made Boot Camp-eligible by judges in the Commonwealth.
Providing program information to community groups has allowed the public an opportunity to ask questions and to alleviate concerns they may have regarding the effectiveness of alternative sentencing.
Both male and female inmates are eligible for admission to the Boot Camp program. Individuals must be Boot Camp recommended by the judge on the sentencing order. Legislative requirements that must be met before an individual is considered for the Boot Camp program include: sentenced to state confinement; serving a term of confinement the minimum of which is not more than two years and the maximum of which is five years or less, or is serving a term of confinement, the minimum of which is not more than three years and the inmate is within two years of completing his/her minimum term; has not reached 40 years of age at the time he/she is approved for participation; is not subject to a sentence, the calculation of which included a deadly weapon enhancement under the sentencing guidelines; and is not serving a sentence for one or more of the following offenses: Murder, Voluntary Manslaughter, Drug Delivery Resulting in Death, Kidnapping, Rape, Involuntary Deviate Sexual Intercourse, Sexual Assault, Aggravated Indecent Assault, Arson [(a)(1)(i)], Burglary [Home/Person Present], Robbery [F1], Robbery of a Motor Vehicle, Drug Trafficking [18 Pa. C.S. 7508 (a)(1)(iii), (a)(2)(iii), (a)(3)(iii), (a)(4)(iii)].
The Boot Camp opened in June 1992. Since that time to December 31, 2018, 11,398 inmates have begun the program with 9,247 completing. Based on the concept that the Boot Camp saves $11,431 per inmate graduate (because those inmates spend approximately 16 months less time incarcerated), the Boot Camp has generated an estimated cost savings to the Commonwealth of $105,702,457.