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2h ago

Maryland to Close Jessup’s MCI-J Prison by June 2026 to Avoid Costly Repairs

Leaders frame the decision as a cost-saving step that addresses chronic staffing shortages.

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Maryland correctional officers at Jessup Correctional Institution routinely had their timecards altered and were shorted nearly a half-million dollars in wages over a two-year period, a federal investigation showed. The U.S. Department of Labor is now investigating similar allegations involving other state institutions.

Overview

  • The medium-security facility will be phased out with inmate and staff transfers completed by June 30, 2026.
  • About 700 incarcerated men and roughly 300 employees will be reassigned to facilities in Jessup and across the state, including Jessup Correctional Institution, Dorsey Run, Hagerstown-area prisons, and North Branch in Cresaptown.
  • The Moore administration projects roughly $21 million in annual operating savings once the closure is complete.
  • Officials cite foundation and drainage failures and aging plumbing, electrical and roofing systems that would require about $200 million in upgrades.
  • Reassigning officers is intended to ease vacancies and curb mandatory overtime, and the empty prison will be winterized for about $1.5 million while the state decides its future.