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Their view: There is no such thing as free college

<p>Just over four decades ago, The Citizens&#8217; Voice was founded by union members. Recently, The Citizen&#8217;s Voice told 840 union members and their families that closing SCI-Retreat and White Haven Center is somehow for the greater good.</p><p>What a betrayal to the legacy of the men and women who risked everything to start The Citizens&#8217; Voice &#8212; and the people of our community! Their misguided editorial also ignores serious questions about how Pennsylvania is handling the exodus of state prisoners and the safety of its parole system.</p><p>While the commonwealth is focusing on reducing its prison population, it was just a few months ago that state Department of Corrections Secretary John Wetzel testified he didn&#8217;t see any closures in the near future because the system needed stability. But soon after, five parolees were accused of allegedly murdering six people, including two young children and a Pittsburgh police officer. Last year, 93 parolees were arrested for murder. Shockingly, the commonwealth maintains that number is in line with the state average. That begs the question: What kind of system is letting 90 or more murderers free every year? In all, more than 6,500 parolees were re-arrested in 2018, according to the Associated Press.</p><p>Perhaps, instead of buying the commonwealth&#8217;s spin to justify unnecessary closures, The Citizens&#8217; Voice should take a page from its founders and question authority. It should join the Pennsylvania State Corrections Officers Association and several lawmakers who have called for an independent investigation into Pennsylvania&#8217;s parole crisis.</p><p>There are more than union jobs at stake. There are actual lives at stake.</p><p><strong>Larry Blackwell</strong></p><p>President, PSCOA</p><p>Harrisburg</p><style>
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Your view: Lives are at stake in closing of SCI-Retreat