State Correctional Institution – Muncy

State Correctional Institution – Muncy (SCI Muncy) is a Pennsylvania Department of Corrections prison for women in Clinton Township, Lycoming County,^[1] near Muncy. SCI Muncy, a medium/maximum security prison,^[2] houses Pennsylvania's death row for women.^[3]

State Correctional Institution Muncy

Location	Clinton Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania[1]
Coordinates	41°12′11″N 76°49′29″W
Security class	Close-security Maximum security
Opened	1953 [2]
Managed by	Pennsylvania Department of Corrections
Warden	Wendy Nicholas

In 1920, Muncy Industrial Home opened as a training school for imprisoned women between 16 and 30. In 1953 the industrial home became a part of the Bureau of Correction. The industrial home is now SCI Muncy.^[2]

SCI Muncy is the diagnostic center for female offenders in the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. It also houses the Young Adult Offenders program.^[2] SCI Muncy has received some press coverage for its service dog training program.^[4]

As of 2019, the prison housed 1,472 prisoners, including 170 with life sentences.^[5] After inmate Shonda Walter's death sentence was reduced to life, there were no remaining women on Pennsylvania's death row.^[6][7]

Operations

John Beauge of Pennlive.com reported that the prison "still resembles an early 1900s small college campus, albeit one with a few plain, modern buildings added over the years."^[8]

The restricted housing unit houses some women with disciplinary issues.^[8]

Notable inmates

• Tabitha Buck, convicted in the murder of Laurie Show (released).^[9]
• Mary Jane Fonder, convicted in the murder of Rhonda Smith (deceased).^[10]
• Amber Meidinger, convicted in the murder of Jennifer Daugherty.^[11]
• Peggy Darlene Miller, convicted in the murder of Jennifer Daugherty.
• Sylvia Seegrist, convicted in the October 30, 1985, shooting at Springfield Mall in Springfield, Pennsylvania, that left three people dead.^[12]
• Sharon Wiggins, convicted of bank robbery and murder (deceased).
• Michelle Sue Tharp, convicted in the murder of her 7-year-old daughter. Tharp was initially sentenced to death; she was granted a resentencing in 2014 which was still pending as of 2024.^[6][13]