Innovation Day 2024 – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Innovation Day 2024 is a one-day summit that brings together correctional professionals and academic researchers to address current issues facing Pennsylvania’s correctional system.

The event will be held on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, at the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Training Academy. The Training Academy’s address is: 1451 N Market St, Elizabethtown, PA 17022. Event programming is scheduled from 10am-4pm; check-in begins at 9am.

Attendance is by invitation only. View a list of confirmed discussion participants. Participants include Department of Corrections staff from various positions and regions across Pennsylvania. Similarly, researchers with expertise in corrections will attend from various scholarly backgrounds (ex: economics, criminology/criminal justice, public policy, and sociology).

View the preliminary agenda. The event will kick off with a half hour introduction, followed by four professionally facilitated 50-minute assigned small group discussions. Participants will share insights, tackle challenges, and brainstorm testable solutions to key issues confronting Pennsylvania’s correctional system. Discussion sessions will be interspersed by 10-minute breaks and a catered lunch. The event will conclude with a half hour “wrap up” session, followed by an optional happy hour at Hub 717, inside the Fairfield Inn & Suites Harrisburg Airport Hotel.

Event discussions will focus on four key areas: 1. recidivism reduction, 2. staff wellness, 3. in-prison violence reduction, and 4. solitary confinement* reform.

(*In Pennsylvania, solitary confinement is referred to as “restrictive housing”)

Assorted beverages will be available throughout the event. A light breakfast (coffee, tea, pastries, and fruit) is provided during registration and opening remarks (~9:00–10:30 a.m). A catered lunch is also provided from 12:30–1:30 p.m. Attendees with dietary restrictions: please email innovationday2024@psu.edu with your dietary needs so we can ask our caterer to accommodate you.

Rooms are reserved for Innovation Day 2024 participants at the Fairfield Inn & Suites Harrisburg International Airport. This hotel is located inside the Harrisburg airport, within walking distance of all terminals. Rooms are available for the nights of Tuesday, July 30, and Wednesday, July 31. A continental breakfast and parking are included during your stay. Reservation instructions are below. For assistance with your hotel reservation, please call +1 717-944-1361.

1. Until July 19th, 2024, attendees can reserve rooms at a discounted group rate online or via phone (+1 717-944-1361). If reserving by phone, mention our group name: “PSU & PA of Corrections,” or group code: “PPC-PPCK.”
2. After July 19th, 2024, attendees can reserve rooms at market rate online or via phone. Make a hotel reservation online after 7/19.

Round-trip transportation is provided for non-local Innovation Day attendees between the event hotel (the Fairfield Inn and Suites Harrisburg Airport) and the Innovation Day venue (the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Training Academy).

1. Transportation to the Innovation Day departs the airport hotel at 9:00am for the Training Academy (arrives ~9:20 a.m.)
2. Transportation from the Innovation Day departs the Training Academy at 4:15 p.m. for the airport hotel (arrives ~4:40 p.m.)

Plenty of parking is provided at the Corrections Training Academy. When you arrive, you are free to park in any non-restricted open space you see.

A sign will be posted outside the door closest to the event space for easy identification. Just inside that door, you will find the check-in table. Check-in staff will direct you to the event space.

Innovation Day 2024 is sponsored by Arnold Ventures and hosted by the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (PA DOC) and the Penn State Criminal Justice Research Center (CJRC).

No, all travel costs for invited attendees will be reimbursed by funding from Arnold Ventures. Free parking and gas/mileage reimbursement is provided for local attendees. Non-local attendees (i.e. those residing outside of the Harrisburg, PA, area) should make their own travel arrangements.

Please be mindful that this is a grant funded event with a strict budget and avoid travel upgrades where possible. Thank you for your assistance!

To request reimbursement for travel expenses, please follow the applicable steps below. Please note that the travel reimbursement forms mentioned below will be also available at the event.

1. Step 1: Forward completed forms and supporting receipts to innovationday2024@psu.edu for Receipts are required for all travel expense claims except mileage (gas) and meals.
2. Step 2: Complete and submit your applicable travel reimbursement
   1. If you are a Penn State employee: Please complete this
   2. If you are NOT a Penn State employee:
      1. Please complete these two forms: Non-Employee Travel
         Reimbursement Form and Non-Employee Information Form

• Step 3: *****ONLY COMPLETE STEP 3 IF YOU ARE NOT A PENN STATE EMPLOYEE**** Register as a Business Partner with Penn State’s Finance system, called Paymentworks.

1. 1. Once you have submitted your completed forms and receipts, you will receive an email invitation to Paymentworks from
      invitations@paymentworks.com, sent by the Penn State Office of Central
   2. Follow the instructions in the email to register as a Business Partner with “Paymentworks,” so your reimbursements can be processed Once you’ve completed the registration process, forward your registration confirmation email to innovationday2024@psu.edu.
   3. Once we receive your registration confirmation, we can process your reimbursement.

Please visit the event website: https://cjrc.la.psu.edu/innovationday2024/

For further assistance or questions about the event, please email innovationday2024@psu.edu.