Last September the Centre County Correctional Facility fired its warden for “personnel matters.”

About 8 months later, there’s a new warden in town and he says its time to look ahead.

Christopher Schell said as newly appointed warden, he plans to bring more positivity to the facility.

“Forward thinking. No matter what happened in the past, the past is the past. Respect it. And move forward,” Schell said.

Previously Schell moved up the ranks over 25 years in York County.

In October he was hired in Centre County as Deputy Warden..

“[It] Helped me to get a foothold, understand their policies up here, how things are working, how the infrastructures working and everything else. And that’s when I start feeling the comfort with the staff and understanding how things work. That’s when i thought I’d put my name in for the warden,” Schell said.

Now as he moves into the big office, he says it’s go-time.

He’s focusing on creating a work-release program.

Currently out of the 235 inmates, only one is part of a similar program.

“You got to make sure that we can give them an option to better themselves,” Schell said.

He’s working with 20 companies willing to hire.

And Schell believes it’s a smart move for the county as a whole “because they’re coming out one way or another to our community and we got to give them a heads up and give them a job and get them a good foundation,” Schell said.

Inside the facility he’s cycling out costs.

He’s integrated the Laundry Loop, which holds inmates clothing without encasing it; allowing for faster dry times and a cheaper electric bill.

Schell is also finding alternative ways to discipline inmates.

“Putting them behind a door doesn’t solve anything. It’s not going to help them rehabilitate, Schell said.

He said ultimately his approach is to create a more suitable environment that encourages growth rather than blatant punishment 

“As long as the inmates have a good stay in here understanding that we’re here for them, when they go out they’re going to be positive citizens,” Schell said.

A strategy he hopes makes a difference both behind out beyond bars.