Press Release: Minnesota Faces $2 Billion Cost to Modernize Aging Prison Infrastructure
Recent assessments indicate that bringing Minnesota’s Stillwater and St. Cloud prisons up to modern standards could cost approximately $2 billion. This revelation comes as state officials highlight a nationwide issue regarding the deteriorating conditions of aging correctional facilities. Along with these reports, it has been announced that the Federal Prison Camp in Duluth is set to close soon.
Corrections expert, Schnell, noted that states across the U.S. and the federal government are confronted with urgent questions about the future of incarceration, especially as many aging prisons, akin to the structural relics of Alcatraz, continue to fall into disrepair. In light of these challenges, Rep. Novotny proposed considering the Prairie Correctional Facility in Appleton, a former private institution with 1,600 available beds, as a potential solution to alleviate overcrowding. He emphasized that while building a new prison in St. Cloud is a viable option, it could take up to seven years to realize.
In response to the pressing issues surrounding prison conditions, Novotny supports a phased closure of Stillwater as a necessary initial step. He highlighted the urgent need for comprehensive reform in Minnesota’s correctional system, pointing out that the design and operational standards of facilities like Stillwater and St. Cloud are outdated and in dire need of modernization.
Following the legislative approval of the public safety omnibus bill, the Minnesota Department of Corrections plans to spend the upcoming months working to reduce the prison population by relocating half of the inmates to other facilities. This strategy aims to improve the living conditions and safety standards within Minnesota’s correctional system, reflecting a broader commitment to reforming the state’s approach to incarceration.
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