RUSH TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- Plans to start a community corrections facility in Rush Township have been met with harsh resistance.

With a proposal to create a faith-based, nonprofit corrections facility, Mark Frailey told WJAC by phone Wednesday that a facility to help integrate newly released inmates back into the community is desperately needed in Centre County.

Frailey told residents at last week’s township meeting that 7 out of 10 inmates released from incarceration without assistance from a reintegration facility end up back behind bars within three years.

Despite the statistics, Frailey’s proposed “His House” community correctional facility is already meeting harsh resistance.

“The residents knew nothing of this and a board of directors has already been established,” said Virginia Smith. “Who choose that board and what qualifications and experiences do they have in dealing with incarcerated individuals? No one knows.”

Smith lives right down the road from the proposed site along Route 322 in Rush Township, which currently houses National Furniture. She’s circulating a petition against the proposed halfway house.

“I’m hoping to let the supervisors know where the residents stand, because they did it in such a secretive manner,” said Smith. “The residents should have been informed as to what was going on and had some input into it.”

The Little Garden Patch Daycare is located within a few hundred feet from the proposed site. The Daycare co-owner was hoping to expand, but is now holding off after finding out about the proposal.

“I can’t move forward with my business, because I’m not going to be other children into here and people won’t want to bring their children into here,” said Evans. “This is a nice community and we want to keep it that way.”

Rush Township Supervisor Mike Savage told WJAC Wednesday that since the township does not have zoning ordinances, the decision whether to develop a corrections facility contract is in the hands of the Department of Corrections officials.

“I think it’s important for people in the immediate neighborhood to understand that part of the process would have to be a determination that there is in fact support for such a facility,” said Savage. “I think it’s pretty clear that the people of the community do not want this facility."