Who We Are
Community Corrections Centers (CCCs) and Community Contract Facilities (CCFs) are NOT state correctional institutions (SCIs). At a CCC/CCF facility, movement of each reentrant is monitored. Reentrants leave the CCCs/CCFs to go to work, attend treatment services, meet with their parole agent, and secure what they need to prepare for their successful return to the community.
Types of Residential Programs within the Bureau of Community Corrections
Group Home Facility
A group home facility provides residential placement for reentrants who require additional support and oversight until they transition to the community. Facility staff assist these reentrants with finances, social services, employment and housing.
Treatment Facilities
Alcohol and Other Drugs: A licensed inpatient treatment facility that provides programming to reentrants in a manner and timeframe consistent with accepted clinical standards within the AOD treatment community.
Dual Diagnosis: A licensed inpatient treatment facility that provides programming to reentrants in a manner and timeframe consistent with accepted clinical standards within the AOD treatment community and addresses specific needs of a reentrant diagnosed with a mental illness.
Mental Health: A facility that provides residential programming for individuals diagnosed with a mental illness.
In Patient: Inpatient AOD services involves the reentrant living at a facility for a period of time. The length of stay is dependent on the reentrants clinical needs and progress in treatment. They are immersed in intensive AOD treatment throughout the day which is provided via group and individual treatment sessions. They are under staff supervision 24 hours a day.
The purpose is to assist the reentrant in the development of a comprehensive recovery plan which includes relapse prevention. If a person’s use places them in danger of serious damage to physical health, a 24 hour intensive program is needed to understand the consequences and severity of their substance use disorder. Also, Inpatient is indicated when a reentrant is unable to maintain his recovery in a less intensive setting (outpatient). Inpatient is also indicated when a reentrant cannot control their use when substances are available in their environment.
State Intermediate Punishment (SIP) Program
The State Intermediate Punishment (SIP) Program is an alternative sentencing program, provided by the Department of Corrections (DOC), for reentrants with drug and/or alcohol related crimes. The goal of SIP is to combine incarceration with rehabilitative drug and alcohol treatment.
Veterans' Designated Facility
A group home facility that provides Veteran's Administration (VA) specific assistance to eligible reentrants. The facility provides the VA access to evaluate the reentrants for veteran-specific programming at a VA facility. Approved vets will be transferred to a VA designated facility as space is available.
Specialized Centers
Specialized centers provide enhanced community-based supervision and programming for individuals identified by the Parole Board, due to their offense and/or criminal history. A 12-session violence prevention booster is the standardized curriculum offered. Reentrants may transition to their home plan upon successful completion of the program.
County Jail Work Release Reentry Initiative
The DOC partners with select county jails to place reentrants in county work release programs who are from the respective or surrounding county and have plans to remain in the area when released. The expectation of this program is for the individuals to secure employment and a home plan in the area.
Parole Violator Center (PVC)
A parole violator center (PVC) is an effort that uses an evidence-based strategy to manage individuals who have committed non-violent, technical parole violations (TPVs). Individuals are not permitted to leave the center without an official escort.
Each individual placed in a PVC is required to participate in standardized treatment programming based upon his/her recent behavior, as well as the type, severity and nature of violation and violation history.
TPVs that are not eligible for PVC placement are placed into the secure custody of a Contracted County Jail (CCJ) or SCIs for programming and detention, based on the following ACT 122 criteria:
1) The violation was sexual in nature.
2) The violation involved assaultive behavior.
3) The violation involved possession or control of weapon.
4) The parolee has absconded and cannot be safely diverted to a community corrections center/facility.
5) There exists an identifiable threat to public safety and the parolee cannot be safely diverted to a community corrections center/facility.
Act 122 TPVs are NOT housed in ANY CCCs or CCFs.
Juvenile Lifers
Pennsylvania has the largest number of individuals who were juveniles at the time they committed their crimes and were later sentenced to life-without-parole (a group otherwise known as “juvenile lifers.”) In Pennsylvania, a life sentence excludes the possibility of parole. However, if an individual’s sentence is modified by the court to make him or her eligible for parole in the future, or if an individual otherwise becomes eligible for parole consideration, the Department of Corrections (DOC) will prepare those individuals for release. CCCs are often used as a "bridge" for the juvenile lifer between incarceration and parole supervision in the community.