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State Correctional Institution – Pittsburgh

Location in Pennsylvania
Location	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Coordinates	40°28′13″N 80°2′28″W / 40.47028°N 80.04111°W / 40.47028; -80.04111
Status	Closed
Security class	Low-Security, Medium-Security
Population	1,500
Opened	1826 1882 (Present location)
Closed	2005–20
Former name	Western Penitentiary
Managed by	Pennsylvania Department of Corrections
Governor	Tom Wolf
Warden	Mark V. Capozza

State Correctional Institution – Pittsburgh (historically known as the "Western Penitentiary" or "Western Pen") was a low-to-medium security correctional institution, operated by the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, located about five miles west of Downtown Pittsburgh and within city limits. The facility is on the banks of the Ohio River, and is located on 21 acres of land. (12 acres within the perimeter fence.) It was the first prison west of the Atlantic Plain as well as a major Civil War prison in 1863–1864.

On January 26, 2017, Governor of Pennsylvania Tom Wolf announced the closing of this facility

History

Western Penitentiary was originally built in 1826 a few blocks east of the current facility by the architect Strickland.

During Charles Dickens visit to the city March 20–22, 1842, he visited the original prison and some scholars believe he based the classic A Christmas Carol on conditions at the facility.

The original location is also famous for housing 118 Confederate soldiers after their capture in Morgan's Raid a dozen miles to the west. It held them from August 5, 1863 until they were transferred to a military fort in New Jersey on March 18, 1864. Although conditions were good for the time, at least eight confederates died during the winter, one while attempting escape.

The present facility opened on its current site in 1882, operating as one of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's first correctional facilities, which at the time, held some maximum-security inmates. In January 2005, after transferring the inmates to SCI-Fayette, the facility was mothballed. In 2007, the facility re-opened with its current name. It houses low and medium security inmates who require substance abuse treatment.

In 2017, Amazon has considered it as a potential site to build their new HQ2

G-20 Protests

During the 2009 G-20 Pittsburgh summit, the prison was used as the main processing facility for rioters and protesters that were detained and arrested during the week-long summit. Radio host Alex Jones has broadcast accounts of his staff being rounded up—with press credentials—to the prison.

Notable prisoners

• George Feigley, the leader of a sex cult, served part of his sentence at Western Penitentiary. In 1983 two of his followers drowned near the prison in what authorities believe was an attempt to break him out.He was first transferred to Western Penitentiary after plans for him to escape from SCI-Graterford by helicopter were uncovered.

Fictional Portrayals

The 1978 film The Brink's Job the character Stanley Gusciora is sentenced to 20 years at the "Western Penitentiary at Pittsburgh".

References

1. PA Dept. of Corrections – SCI Pittsburgh Webpage(Retrieved: 5/4/2011)
2. n° 295 de la revue : Architecture intérieure, CREE - 1977
3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2004-01-19. Retrieved 2011-05-22. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
4. Fayette residents hope prison holds promise of better future Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Retrieved:5/4/2011)
5. PA Dept. of Corrections – SCI Pittsburgh Webpage(Retrieved: 5/4/2011)
6. http://wesa.fm/post/redevelopment-former-sci-pittsburgh-site-possible-amazon-hq2-location-hold#stream/0
7. Lynch, Charles; Tkach, Harry (8 August 1983). "No arrests made in botched breakout". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
8. "Cast of figures in sewer escape cult". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 6 Aug 1983. Retrieved 2 May 2019.

External links

• Penna. Department of Corrections - SCI Pittsburgh - Webpage

v t e Pennsylvania Department of Corrections prisons
Maximum security	Fayette Forest Frackville Greene (supermax) Phoenix Pine Grove
Close security	Camp Hill Huntingdon Smithfield
Medium security	Albion Benner Township Coal Township Chester Dallas Houtzdale Mahanoy Rockview Somerset
Minimum security	Laurel Highlands Mercer Motivational Bootcamp – Quehanna♂♀ Waymart
Female only	Cambridge Springs♀ Muncy♀
Private	George W. Hill
Closed	Eastern State Penitentiary Cresson Graterford Greensburg Pittsburgh/Western State Penitentiary Waynesburg Retreat
Above facilities are male-only unless noted by ♀(female) or ♂♀ (unisex)

• Buildings and structures in Pittsburgh
• Prisons in Pennsylvania
• 1826 establishments in Pennsylvania
• 2017 disestablishments in Pennsylvania