State Correctional Institution – SCI Laurel Highlands

State Correctional Institution – SCI Laurel Highlands basic information to help guide you through what you can do for your inmate while they are incarcerated. The facility's direct contact number: 814-445-6501

This facility is for adult inmates.

The inmates housed at SCI Laurel Highlands located at 5706 Glades Pike in Somerset, PA are placed according to their custody level (determined by a number of factors including the past criminal history and the length of their sentence). There are ample educational and vocational training programs for all inmates, especially ones that show a willingness to learn new things that will prepare them for a better life when they are released. The mission is to promote and prepare the offender to leave in better shape than when they arrived, giving them the best chance to never come back and thus lower the state's recidivism rate.

SCI Laurel Highlands is a minimum-security state prison primarily houses about 1,550 adult male inmates who have special needs including long term personal medical care, inmates who are on dialysis or bound to a wheelchair, and geriatric offenders. This facility also houses general population in nine housing units. Some of the housing units are open dormitory while others are multi and single-occupancy cells. This facility offers a higher amount of medical care when compared to other correctional facilities in the state.

The facility occupies the former Somerset State Hospital property which was owned by the Department of Public Welfare, and which officially closed June 1996. The property was transferred from the Department of Public Welfare to the Department of Corrections in 1996.

Number of Acres Inside Perimeter: 52
Number of Acres Outside Perimeter: 81
Number of Operational Structures (inside and outside of perimeter): 35
Number of Housing Units: 9
Housing units consist of both cells and dormitory-style housing.
Special Features: Medical facilities and dialysis for male inmates.

Inmate Information:

Inmate Population: Click HERE for the current population report
Inmate Average Age: 42.29

Total Number of Full-Time Employees: 599

Academic and Vocational Education:

• Academic Education through GED level
• Vocational Education: Business Education, Custodial Maintenance, Electronics Repair

All vocational classes offer industry-recognized certifications specific to the trade skills taught in the program.

Inmate Programs:

Family/Relationship Self
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Reading to your Children
Sex Offenders
• Sex Offender Moderate-High Intensity
• Offender Low Intensity
• Special Needs Sex Offender Booster Program

Re-Entry
• Pre-Vocational Skills Class
• Inside/Out Dads
• MoneySmart Program
Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD)
• Therapeutic Community
• Outpatient Therapy Group
• Dual Diagnosis
• AA/NA/SOS/SMART Support Meetings
Offense Related
• Thinking for a Change
• Act 143 Victim Awareness
• Violence Prevention
• Batterer’s Intervention
• Long Term Offenders
Mental Health Programs
• Dual Diagnosis Group

Community Work Program: The Community Work Program had a total of 5,731 hours of community work in 2012-2013 for savings to many local organizations.

CWP projects included painting, cleaning, landscaping, cutting trees and brush, street work, poured concrete and set tombstones, cleaning and detailing fire trucks, and relocation of an office.
Locations include:
 Somerset Historical Center
 Somerset County Fairgrounds
 New Centerville Fire Department
 Springs Festival
 Meyersdale Fire Department
 Rockwood Boro
 Somerset Boro
 Boys & Girls Club of Somerset
 Somerset Community Outreach Center
 Somerset County Parks and Recreation
 Salisbury Fire Department
 Stoystown Lions Club
 Benscreek Lutheran Church
 Somerset Christian Fellowship
 Berlin Cemetary Association

visitation Info

State Correctional Institution – SCI Laurel Highlands PA – Visitation

Visiting Hours – General Population

• Monday: 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM
• Tuesday: CLOSED
• Wednesday: CLOSED
• Thursday: CLOSED
• Friday: 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM
• Saturday: 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM
• Sunday: 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM

Due to the prison holding a count around 11 a.m., visitors must clear the metal detector by 10:30 a.m. to be able to visit.
Maximum Number of Visitors Per Inmate – 5 

State Correctional Institution – SCI Laurel Highlands PA – Visiting Hours
State Correctional Institution – SCI Laurel Highlands PA – Visitation Rules