In our increasingly polarized society, it is rare that we all agree on anything. Even topics that seem like they should be uncontroversial, like walking or biking instead of driving, frequently become politicized. In many places, choosing active or public transport is seen as a political statement instead of just a healthy and practical choice. Take paid parental leave, for example. Giving new parents time to care for their newborn and recover from childbirth seems like common sense, yet it’s frequently treated as a political flashpoint.

That’s what makes the consensus on the proposed closure of SCI Rockview so striking. Republicans and Democrats, union members and prison administrators — groups who so often find themselves at odds — have all agreed: closing Rockview would be of serious detriment to our community.

We do, too.

Since the Shapiro administration’s announcement more than two months ago, we’ve heard from over 100 individual stakeholders:

— Prison staff, including food service instructors and correctional officers;

— Administrators, including Rockview’s own superintendent, Bobbi Salamon;

— A bipartisan coalition of elected officials representing Centre County and the region at large;

— Community members and families of the incarcerated; and

— The incarcerated themselves.

Their message has been consistent: that the Department of Corrections’ data is flawed, the proposed closure is shortsighted and the decision puts both the local economy and the safety and wellbeing of inmates and staff at dire risk.

Aside from members of the Shapiro administration, only one individual we’ve encountered — a member of the Pennsylvania Prison Society, which admirably advocates for the health, safety and dignity of incarcerated people — has expressed general support for the proposal, saying the prison is on its last legs.

The Express proudly supports the humane treatment of those incarcerated. No matter the crime, it is the responsibility of the state to provide humane treatment for those under its protection and supervision — even if the crimes that landed them there were heinous, as some of the crimes committed by the incarcerated at Rockview unquestionably are.

That said, we have yet to see compelling evidence that the condition of the facility is so significantly degraded as to justify the wide-reaching impacts of its closure.

None of our staff have been given the opportunity to tour the facility.

However, none of the 40 inmates who have contacted The Express, nor their families, nor the officials who have toured the facility, nor the staff have raised concerns of this nature.

Certainly, there is room for improvement. Built nearly 80 years before the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the facility lacks adequate wheelchair accessibility and has limited accommodations for individuals with disabilities.

As the commonwealth’s prison population ages, accessibility is of paramount importance. But so, too, is mental healthcare — something both staff and those housed at Rockview attest is unmatched compared to other facilities.

Many have said Rockview’s support has saved their lives and changed their outlook on life and their crimes.

Studies published in reputable, peer-reviewed journals have directly linked improved mental health, both in prison and post-release, with reduced recidivism. Lower recidivism rates improve public safety and save taxpayer dollars — both goals we can all agree are worth pursuing.

Additionally, we’ve heard testimony from inmates, staff and elected officials that challenges several claims made by the Department of Corrections Steering Committee, which recommended SCI Rockview’s closure. They contend the $74 million in “essential” upgrades cited in the committee’s report are based on outdated and inaccurate information; a deeply troubling possibility, if true.

We also agree with the Centre County Commissioners, whose analysis of the economic impacts of the potential closure led Commissioner Mark Higgins to describe it as “a huge $118 million-a-year hole blown into the heart of the rural Central Pennsylvania economy.”

At a time of such potent economic uncertainty — particularly in a region as economically disadvantaged as our own — is it wise to eliminate hundreds of jobs and shutter a facility that generates millions for the local economy?

We don’t think so.

While we understand the need for difficult decisions in the name of fiscal responsibility — and we don’t oppose that in principle — the cost of this particular decision on our region will be immense. If the commissioners’ analysis is accurate, we ask the Department of Corrections: would you support a total economic loss of nearly $118 million per year in your own community?

If the challenges facing Rockview are truly insurmountable for the state, and closure is necessary, we will accept that. But if Pennsylvania — as a whole — genuinely cares about its rural communities, we would ask how else Harrisburg plans to offset these economic challenges — and protect the people they are sworn to serve.