SOMERSET —
The State Correctional Institution at Laurel Highlands, located in Somerset Borough, frequently has been mentioned as the place where former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky might serve his 30-to-60-year sentence for sexually abusing children.
But, according to the state Department of Corrections, any speculation is premature.
Earlier this month, Sandusky, 68, was convicted of molesting 10 boys during a 15-year period. The scandal drew international attention and brought unprecedented sanctions upon the Penn State football program. Now, far away from the spotlight of his sensational trial, Sandusky is waiting to learn which state prison will become his home.
The local prison is often mentioned as a possibility because it has a large population of older inmates.
It also is about 100 miles from Sandusky’s Centre County home.
“Laurel Highlands has skilled nursing care units in addition to general population inmates,” said Susan McNaughton, the Corrections Department press secretary. “I think it is just an ‘assumption’ on some people’s parts that Sandusky could end up having that prison as his home prison.
“However, let’s look at Laurel Highlands’ inmate population by age. Of the 1,441 inmates there today, only 446 are age 50 or older. If you look at our entire system, we have just more than 9,200 inmates in our system age 50 or older. Obviously we have such offenders housed throughout our system and cannot determine prison placement based solely on age alone.
“At some point in the future his home prison will be known, but that will be determined through the classification process.”
Sandusky currently is being held at SCI-Camp Hill in Cumberland County, the first stop for all males when they enter the state prison system.
He is undergoing extensive testing to determine his medical condition, educational needs, work ability and security requirements. Evaluators at the diagnostic and classification center also are looking at his family history and criminal background.
“All of this information is used to determine the appropriate home facility, security level required and puts into place planning for treatment that would help reduce criminal behavior and/or be required by the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole for parole consideration, should parole be an option in the future,” said McNaughton.
“The same information is gathered for all offenders regardless of the offense.”
The evaluation process could take weeks or months to complete. Only then will the state determine at which of its 24 adult male prisons to permanently house Sandusky.
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