Lanco prison marks milestone: No inmate suicides in four years

A new prison is on the horizon in Lancaster County, but the Board of Commissioners and correctional facility officials are saluting an important milestone at the 175-year-old structure that currently houses nearly 800 inmates.

“We have had zero inmate suicides in four years,” said Commissioner Josh Parsons (R) at a proclamation ceremony on a sun-splashed day in front of the prison, known as the “castle” on East King Street. “It doesn’t happen by accident.”

“I’m truly honored,” Warden Cheryl Steberger said in reaction to the proclamation. “It represents the work of the professionals here. To go four years without a completed suicide is something we don’t take lightly here. I’m proud of this team.”

The milestone contrasts with some trying times more than a decade ago. The warden cited 2014 when four inmates took their own lives.

“We had some organizational issues,” Parsons recalled. “There were suicides and a high number of assaults. A reality TV show even contacted us.”

Changes were made. After serving as a correctional officer, Steberger became the first female warden at the prison in 2016.

County Commissioner Ray D’Agostino (R) said other corrective steps were taken, including establishing a Suicide Reduction Task Force along with mental health and substance abuse teams.

Commissioner Alice Yoder (D) credited prison leadership and staff. 

“To not have suicides in the prison the last four years where there is a higher risk, is an achievement, considering rates of suicide are increasing in Pennsylvania,” she said.

Following the proclamation ceremony, the warden invited the Lancaster Independence on a rare tour of the prison.

The warden said there have been several attempted suicides. There are currently about a dozen inmates on suicide watch, three of which are women. There are cameras in the cells of those prisoners. They are checked every fifteen minutes.

“It’s stressful, but rewarding in knowing you’ve helped someone who’s at the lowest point in their lives, when they are the most vulnerable,” said correctional officer Elizabeth Karlson, who asked to remain posted in the female unit. She added she’s built a rapport with the 103 female inmates.

Steberger said the staff has to remain especially vigilant in an aging prison like this one.

“Our building is our worst enemy,” she said, citing the tight confines, the existence of bunkbeds, and the lack of air conditioning as factors contributing to a higher likelihood of suicidal ideation.

Corrections officer John Nicklaus has worked here long enough to remember the last inmate suicide. 

“It’s a pretty difficult experience that stays with me to this day,” he said. “I can still see it to this day, walking past the cell. It affects us too and I want to make things better.”

The warden pointed out other measures taken to improve morale such as computer tablets provided to inmates, enhanced safety measures in the cells, and increased staffing.

Steberger is looking forward to moving to the new prison which is expected to be ready in 2028. She believes it will greatly improve the environment for both inmates and staff. It will have central heat and air conditioning, improved lighting and more space.

The warden acknowledges there are some “bad people here who’ve done serious things but we can help with our support,” she said, adding, “Our goal is to reduce recidivism.”

Reflecting on the milestone of surpassing four years without an inmate suicide, the warden said, “It’s a proud moment. There’s been a culture change.” But, understanding the harsh realities of prison life, she added, “We’re not being complacent.”

Barbara Barr is a former reporter for WGAL in Pennsylvania’s Susquehanna Valley where she led political coverage that earned a Walter Cronkite Award.