Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center

The Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center opened in 1923 as the Eastern State Penitentiary Annex. It was designed by architect John T. Windrim, who also designed the Wanamaker Building, Girard Trust Bank, and the main building at Drexel Institute of Art, Science, and Industry (now Drexel University).

The facility’s history is varied: it has been a prison for adults, a juvenile correctional facility, and a detention center for young offenders. Today it is being used as a medium to maximum security detention center. The jail houses male inmates from all custody levels who have been convicted of state criminal offenses and are serving sentences that range from months to years. Inmates can take part in programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous and “Inside Out” Dads Program among several others while they are incarcerated

In 1914 a new prison facility was built. This new facility, Industrial School for Colored Youth, would house an average of 600 youth inmates (boys between the ages of 8 and 21) charged with crimes ranging from burglary to rape.

In 1914 a new prison facility was built. This new facility, Industrial School for Colored Youth, would house an average of 600 youth inmates (boys between the ages of 8 and 21) charged with crimes ranging from burglary to rape. The boys were considered “recalcitrant” or unruly by their communities due to their education level and family status.

The school’s mission statement was to train juvenile delinquents in skills such as carpentry, tailoring, shoe repair, printing and paper making—skills that would allow them to become productive citizens once they left the facility. In addition to these vocational training programs there was also an agricultural program where boys were responsible for tending crops on land owned by Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center (PICC).

The Facility houses male inmates from all custody levels who have been convicted of state criminal offenses and are serving sentences that range from months to years.

The Facility houses male inmates from all custody levels who have been convicted of state criminal offenses and are serving sentences that range from months to years. Inmates are housed in three housing units:

• H Unit, which contains a high-rise cell house with one hundred eighty-six cells. This unit consists of three tiers on each side, plus an additional third tier at each end.
• T Unit, which contains a medium-rise cell house with one hundred twenty-four cells. This unit consists of two tiers on each side, plus an additional third tier at each end.
• A Unit, which contains fifty “tube” style cells for maximum security level offenders and those who require special protection needs such as mental health treatment or physical protection concerns (such as sex offenders).

The Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center is a part of the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections and it serves as one of twenty-two institutions in the state correctional system.

PICC is a medium to maximum security detention center, located in the Grays Ferry section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. PICC was originally built in 1923 as the Eastern State Penitentiary Annex. In 1924, it was renamed Eastern State Penitentiary Annex No. 2 and became known as “Graterford Prison”. It is one of twenty-two institutions in the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (DOC).

Graterford houses prisoners who are serving sentences for serious crimes such as murder and terrorism related offenses; additionally it houses death row inmates who have been condemned to death by lethal injection or electrocution.

There are three housing units at PICC; each unit has a recreational yard and gymnasium.

There are three housing units at PICC; each unit has a recreational yard and gymnasium. The recreational yard is an open space where inmates can go to relax, read and socialize. The gymnasium is also an open space where inmates can go to exercise or play basketball games. Both areas are available for the public to use as well.

PICC’s programs include Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, “Inside Out” Dads Program, Art Program, Religious Activities, GED classes, Legal Assistance Program and Counseling Services.

The facility offers a wide range of programming for inmates, family members and the community. These include:

• Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous
• “Inside Out” Dads Program
• Art Program
• Religious Activities
• GED classes (adult education)

In addition to these programs offered by PICC, many other community-based agencies offer services to offenders in Philadelphia’s prisons. For example, Catholic Charities Bureau operates an outpatient treatment program at Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility called “Compelled to Change.”

PICC is an important part of Philadelphia’s history and its current crime preventing effort.

PICC is an important part of Philadelphia’s history and its current crime preventing effort. PICC is a part of the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, and has three housing units that house inmates. The first unit houses men in their late 20s to early 40s who have committed crimes such as drug possession or trafficking, assault, and kidnapping; there are also some inmates who have been convicted on murder charges serving time here. The second unit houses men over 50 years old with similar criminal backgrounds as those in the first unit; they are more likely to be convicted on theft charges or breaking and entering but may be serving time for violent offenses like murder or manslaughter. Finally, there is a third housing unit that houses both juveniles between the ages of 16-18 and adults between 20-44 who have not yet reached maximum security levels (this means they haven’t committed enough serious crimes yet). This unit can hold up to 150 people at once! Incarcerated individuals spend most days working out at gym facilities on site as well as doing arts & crafts projects where they paint pictures using melted crayons from ice cream cones–what better way is there?

History of PICC provides insight into the evolution of Philadelphia’s criminal justice system and how it has changed over time. It is an important part of our city’s history that should be remembered because it helps us to understand where we are today.