In July, Rockview prison had room for about 100 more inmates.

Now, the local prison only has space for another 10.

Officials are trying to combat overcrowding in prisons -- a problem they say is plaguing the state and the nation -- in State College's own backyard.

The Pennsylvania prison population is projected to increase by 17 percent over the next five years, prompting Gov. Ed Rendell to request money for the creation of more prison facilities, according to a recent report by researchers of the Pew Charitable Trusts.

The State Correctional Institute at Rockview -- about 10 minutes from State College -- has been able to accommodate the increase so far, Jeffrey Rackovan, superintendent's assistant at Rockview, said.

"Our inmate population presently fluctuates around 2,090 -- up from 2,000 in July 2006," he said.

However, projecting a need for more space in the future, the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (DOC) is hoping to build a new $175 million facility at Rockview, which Rackovan said is currently close to its capacity of slightly more than 2,100 inmates. The medium security facility would add 2,000 beds to the existing grounds, according to the 2007-08 state capital budget.

"I think that if people commit serious offenses they should be punished," Michael Madeira, Centre Country District Attorney, said. "If someone needs to go to jail, then we need to build the jails to put them in."

He also said that selling drugs remains a major problem, noting the difference between jailing someone for being an addict and jailing someone for distribution.

The DOC is also looking to build two state prisons on other existing prison grounds, which, including Rockview, would cost about $641 million, Susan McNaughton, press secretary for the DOC, said.

Rendell's budget still needs to be passed by the state legislature. State legislators could not be reached for comment by press time yesterday.

Rackovan added that Cresson and Houtzdale, two nearby correctional institutions, are building more permanent housing with between 250 and 300 additional bed units, and inmates could be sent there instead of Rockview.

Additionally, the DOC is looking to construct new cellblocks at four existing state correctional institutions in Coal, Cambridge Springs, Pine Grove and Forest townships.

Nationally, the prison population is projected to increase by 13 percent over the next five years and cost up to $27.5 billion in operation and construction, according to the report.

This increase triples the percentage of expected growth of the general U.S. population and is based on the likelihood of prison admissions and lengths of stay, according to the report.

Increasing costs for prisons include hiring and retaining prison guards, an increase in the female and elderly prison populations, and a rise in methamphetamine cases, according to the study.

The report also found that about one in every 32 adult residents in the U.S. is under correctional supervision, including probation, parole, jail or prison.

"A large number of the people on parole and probation are contributing to the prison population by breaking technical rules of release by testing positive for drugs or by failing to go to treatment," said Adam Gelb, project director for the Public Safety Performance Project, a division of The Pew Charitable Trusts.

Though national prison spending has increased from $9 billion in 1980 to more than $60 billion now, recidivism rates -- when former inmates reoffend -- have experienced little change. The report showed that more than 50 percent of criminals return to prison within three years of their release.

To combat this, the DOC helps inmates earn their GEDs and, in cooperation with the Department of Labor and Industry, teaches vocational skills, McNaughton said.

"If people are educated and are keeping busy with jobs, they are less likely to reoffend," she added.