Posted on 09/29/25
| News Source: WBAL TV
Jessup, MD — Sept. 29, 2025 - The state plans to close the Maryland Correctional Institution at Jessup, Gov. Wes Moore's office announced Monday.
According to the governor's office, the prison known as MCI-J is set to close by June 30, 2026. The governor's office said the closure will save the state roughly $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 statement. "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."
MCI-J opened in 1981 as a medium-security corrections facility that currently houses 709 people and is authorized to be staffed by 308 employees.
The governor's office cited underinvestment in routine and preventive maintenance as having contributed to building and infrastructure degradation across the facility. Officials pointed to drainage concerns at several housing units, repairs needed to the physical plant, as well as aged plumbing, electrical and roofing facilities.
The state estimates capital improvements would cost roughly $200 million and would take years to implement.
"After careful evaluation, the decision to close MCI-J is a fiscally responsible step forward for our state," Maryland General Services Secretary Atif Chaudhry said in a statement. "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 governor's office said DGS will work with the union to transfer employees to other facilities, including the Maryland Correctional Institution for Women and the Dorsey Run Correctional Facility, which are both also located in Jessup. State officials said the move will reduce mandatory overtime needs at each facility.
"Adequate staff is proactive security," Maryland Public Safety and Correctional Services Secretary Carolyn Scruggs said in a statement. "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."
As for the inmates, the state plans to transfer them in phases over several months to facilities across the state, including the Maryland Correctional Institution and the Roxbury Correctional Institution, both outside Hagerstown, Washington County, and the North Branch Correctional Institution in Cresaptown, Allegany County.
The governor's office said educational programming once housed at MCI-J will also be transferred to other facilities.
After its official closure, MCI-J will be shuttered and winterized at an estimated cost of $1.5 million as the state evaluates options.