Maryland Correctional Institution at Jessup to close by June 2026, Gov. Moore announces

JESSUP, Md. (DC News Now) — Gov. Wes Moore (D-Md.) announced plans Monday to soon close the Maryland Correctional Institution at Jessup, citing the facility’s aging infrastructure and operational costs as reasons for the shutdown.

Under the plan, the 44-year-old facility, better known as MCI-J, will close its doors by June 30, 2026. According to Moore’s office, the closure will save taxpayers roughly $21 million per year as well as help the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services expand access to education, vocational training and re-entry services for people who are incarcerated.

“MCI-J has long outrun its facility lifespan and we refuse to kick the can further down the road,” said Moore. “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 medium security facility, which has been open since 1981, houses 709 people and has a budget for 308 staff positions. However, state officials said “prolonged underinvestment in routine and preventative maintenance” has led to degradation of the facility’s infrastructure, sparking the need for costly repairs.

In addition, several housing units have closed due to concerns with drainage while an assessment found that the facility’s plumbing, electrical systems and roofing are “past life cycle expectancy.”

In total, repairs would cost about $200 million and take years to complete, officials noted.

“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. “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.”

To prepare for the closure, the governor’s office said officials will work with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal employees (AFSCME) to transition staff to different facilities, including the Dorsey Run Correctional Facility and the Maryland Correctional Institution for Women.

Meanwhile, those incarcerated at MCI-J will be transferred in phases over several months, relocating to facilities across the state, including the Maryland Correctional Institution at Hagerstown, the Roxbury Correctional Institution and the North Branch Correctional Institution.

Those who are older and serving life sentences, as well as those with disabilities who require Americans with Disabilities Act-guided housing, will be relocated first, Moore’s office said.

Services including, but not limited to, adult basic education, vocational trade programs, job readiness, work release and apprenticeship programs will also be transferred to other facilities, alongside post secondary education programs from Bowie State College, Georgetown University, University of Baltimore, Goucher College and Wor-Wic Community College.

After the closure, Moore’s office said the facility will be “shuttered and winterized” at a cost of around $1.5 million as officials decide what to do with it.

In response to the shutdown, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal employees (AFSCME) sent the following statement to DC News Now from AFSCME Maryland Council 3 President Patrick Moran:

We are alarmed that the State is moving towards closing MCI-J without a larger and more comprehensive plan regarding the State’s correctional facilities, the needs of incarcerated individuals, and departmental staffing as a whole. For months, AFSCME has asked DPSCS and the Governor’s office for reports about facilities, including MCI-J, and we have yet to receive anything.

There are also larger questions about how the proposed Baltimore Therapeutic Treatment Center falls into this picture. The BTTC is projected to cost in excess of $1 billion just to construct, far more than the estimated cost to modernize MCI-J. Additionally, the BTTC lacks any staffing plan, despite years of AFSCME asking for one.

In order to ensure the safety of staff and those incarcerated, the State must continue to recruit and retain a sufficient number of correctional officers and facility employees, resource our existing correctional facilities and state hospitals, and address the sky-high rates of violence and overtime in these facilities.

Per state law, public hearings must be held regarding this proposed facility closure, and AFSCME is ready to question the lack of a comprehensive plan and failure to address department-wide staffing issues in DPSCS facilities.
AFSCME Maryland Council 3 President Patrick Moran