Aging MD Prison Closing: See Plan For Inmates, Employees

JESSUP, MD — An aging Maryland prison hampered by what the governor said is a backlog of deferred maintenance will soon close its doors permanently.

Gov. Wes Moore announced Monday that the Maryland Correctional Institution at Jessup, known as MCI-J, will close by June 30, 2026.

The facility will then be winterized at an estimated cost of $1.5 million. The state is still deciding what to do with the property after its closure.

Moore described the closure as a cost-saving measure. He said shuttering the state-run prison in Anne Arundel County will save taxpayers $21 million per year in operational costs.

“MCI-J has long outrun its facility lifespan and we refuse to kick the can further down the road,” Moore said in a press release. “Our plan to close this facility will save taxpayers money, ease strain on our hardworking and dedicated correctional staff, and honor the state’s commitment to meeting every Marylander with humanity, including incarcerated individuals.”

The facility has a lengthy maintenance list. Addressing all of the concerns, from foundation issues to drainage concerns, would cost about $200 million and take years.

“After careful evaluation, the decision to close MCI-J is a fiscally responsible step forward for our state,” Maryland Department of General Services Secretary Atif Chaudhry said in the release. “By closing MCI-J, we're saving Maryland taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars in avoidable costs over the long term and refocusing our resources on more sustainable correctional solutions.”

The medium security prison opened in 1981. It houses 709 individuals and is authorized for 308 budgeted staff positions.

The Department of General Services will work with the AFSCME union to transfer employees to alternate facilities. Potential staff transfers include the Maryland Correctional Institution for Women and the Dorsey Run Correctional Facility, both also located in Jessup.

These transfers will reduce the need for mandatory overtime in each facility.

“Adequate staff is proactive security,” Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services Secretary Carolyn J. Scruggs said in the release. “By shifting staff to surrounding facilities, we will not only provide coverage needed to deter incidents and make our facilities safer, but we can minimize the costly, constant and exhausting cycle of mandatory overtime, improve morale and reduce burnout.”

Inmates will be shifted to other prisons, sparking an uptick in population at other correctional facilities.

Over several months, inmates will be relocated in phases to facilities statewide depending on their security needs. Prisons that will house the current Jessup inmates include the Maryland Correctional Institution at Hagerstown, the Roxbury Correctional Institution and the North Branch Correctional Institution.

Programming once housed at MCI-J will also be transferred to other facilities. Moore said this will expand access to services like Adult Basic Education, high school diploma equivalency, special education, vocational trade programs, job readiness, work release, public safety works, apprenticeship programs and post secondary education from the University of Baltimore, Georgetown University, Goucher College, Bowie State College and Wor-Wic Community College.