Why Is Bare Hill Correctional Facility Closing In 2026?

New York State will be closing a prison soon. The New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision announced the closure recently. It said it conducted an analysis of its 42 facilities before making the decision. A report by the Vera Institute points out that even though the population of incarcerated individuals has plummeted in New York, the budget has remained steady. Per the report, there were around 56,000 prisoners in 2011. By 2021, the number had dropped to almost 31,000.

"Despite a 45 percent decrease in the prison population from 2011 to operating budget decreased by a mere 5 percent, adjusting for inflation. And while uniformed headcount decreased by only 11 percent, the budget for uniformed officers increased during that time frame, suggesting increases to salaries and benefits. Spending on staffing remains a clear obstacle to reducing the DOCCS budget: 47 percent of DOCCS's $3.5 billion budget in Fiscal Year 2022 was allocated to uniformed corrections officers."

It's Crazy How Much New York Spends To House Prisoners

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According to the Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University School of Law,

"The mean annual costs to house inmates was nearly $30,000, but some states spent more than $40,000. Jurisdictions spend $80 billion every year in jails and prisons, similar to the federal government’s budget for the Department of Education."

In state prisons, New York spends an average of over $315 a day, or nearly $115,000 per year, to incarcerate one person.

For less than $315 per day, you could stay at:

- Albany - Staybridge Suites Albany Wolf Rd-Colonie Center with a 9.3 (Wonderful) rating
- Buffalo - Wyndham Garden Buffalo Downtown with an 8.6 (Very good) rating
- New York City - Ameritania at Times Square with an 8.1 (Very good) rating
- Rochester - Country Inn & Suites Rochester-Pittsford with an 8.4 (Very good) rating
- Syracuse - Marriott Syracuse Downtown with an 8.2 (Very good) rating

That's how much it costs to house an inmate in a NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision facility. When it comes to county jails, in 2019, it cost approximately $225 to incarcerate each prisoner for one night or $82,000 per year. Outside of New York City counties, jails around the state cost a total of $1.3 billion in staffing and operational expenses. According to Zip Recruiter, the average salary in New York State is $51,979 annually. So, it costs more to house an inmate in New York than most people make per year.

Bare Hill Prison Will Close In March

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KEEP READING: 10 Prisons With The Most Inmates In New York

Bare Hill Correctional Facility, located at 181 Brand Rd, Malone, NY 12953, will close on March 11, 2026. DOCCS says that all 293 staff employed by the prison will be offered positions at other facilities. Incarcerated individuals will be moved into vacant beds at other institutions. In addition to the Bare Hill closure, part of Collins Correctional Facility will be consolidated for efficiency.