Clinton County was created from parts of Centre and Lycoming counties in 1839. Lock Haven, founded by Jeremiah Church in 1833, became the county seat of Clinton County in 1844. It is located in one of the most scenic parts of Pennsylvania, where the West Branch of the Susquehanna River and Bald Eagle Creek unite. Its name comes from the fact that a "lock" of a new West Branch Canal system located there and the town offered "haven" for river traffic. The wealth in Lock Haven during the prospering lumber years led to the construction of the present Clinton County Court House in 1867.

Clinton County built its first official jail in 1852 at a cost of $5,557.00. The jail was enlarged twenty years later for $22,240.00 to give it 13 cells. It still stands today at 352 E. Church Street, in Lock Haven.

In 1990, a new facility was dedicated in McElhattan, five miles from Lock Haven, at a cost of over three million dollars. It ascribes to the New Generation Philosophy of jail architecture and inmate management that have been developed to resolve age-old custodial dilemmas that make safe and humane incarceration problematic. More commonly referred to as direct supervision, officers are in direct physical contact with inmates and must display effective leadership skills in resolving problems and conflicts as they occur. In addition, the officer acts as a role model for offenders.

The Clinton County Correctional Facility generates revenue by housing prisoners from the State system and other Counties. The current population averages three hundred prisoners requiring the need for additional space. In December, 2003 a 148-bed expansion project was dedicated. In one month it was filled with out-of-county inmates. At a price almost equal to the existing facility that was built in 1990, the addition keeps high-risk inmates more secure and provides more effective classification opportunities for the staff.

• Commitment Levels: 3
• Major: County
• Other: State

Mission Statement

The mission of the Clinton County Correctional Facility is to protect and serve the citizens of Clinton County by providing a range of correctional services for persons incarcerated who require such intervention. The facility provides secure detention for both pre-trial and convicted offenders. Minimum security, re-entry programming is provided to selected offenders through participation in the highly structured Work Release and Community Release programs.

Goals

The prison has as its goals the following:

1. Protection of the citizens of Clinton County by providing constructive, professional, correctional service for pre-trial and convicted detainees;
2. Service to inmates by providing the opportunity for self-improvement and successful community re-entry through programs including education and counseling;
3. Maintain compliance of Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Standards for County Correctional Facilities;
4. Obtain accreditation by the American Correctional Association;
5. Develop and maintain a professional staff;
6. To meet the future correction and rehabilitation needs of the county by means of effective planning and responsible fiscal and resource management.

Rehabilitative Programs

Ten types of rehabilitative programs are offered for inmates:

1. Substance Abuse
2. Education
3. Recreation
4. Mental Health
5. Religion
6. Vocation
7. Community Service
8. Work Release
9. Educational Release
10. Prison Employment

Free viewers are required for some of the attached documents.
They can be downloaded by clicking on the icons below.

Acrobat Reader Windows Media Player Word Viewer Excel Viewer PowerPoint Viewer