Downstate Correctional Facility
Location | 121 Red Schoolhouse Road Fishkill, New York |
---|---|
Status | closed 2022 |
Security class | Maximum |
Opened | 1979 |
Closed | 2022 |
Managed by | New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision |
Downstate Correctional Facility was a maximum-security prison in the Town of Fishkill in the Hudson Valley region of New York.[1] It was located along the north side (i.e. westbound) of Interstate 84, opening in 1979 and closing in 2022.
Downstate served primarily as a classification center, as it was, along with
Cells in Downstate were organized into four wings around a large and exactly square room called The Square, which was the junction point for the four wings and contained a staffed waiting room. Services such as reception, clothes, pharmacy, medical, commissary, chapel, mail, packages, visiting, and cafeteria were all centrally located, but there were small libraries in each of the wings. For many years, there was a softball field outside the prison building, used mainly by the cadre. Recreation could consist of an hour in a room with twenty other inmates and a television. Like all New York State prisons, there was a professional librarian, who supervised cadre workers at two locations, and a part-time rabbi. As with all maximum security prisons in New York State, inmate movement was scheduled and tightly controlled. An inmate who required medical attention had to be escorted to the infirmary by an officer. Shower opportunities were also scheduled. Library visits were short, scheduled, and in groups. There were dropboxes in the wings where prisoners being moved out of the facility, as most soon were after arrival, could deposit any library books that they had checked out.
Downstate was right across
History
In 2016
On March 10, 2022, Downstate Correctional Facility was permanently closed, due to a declining prison population in New York state. The staff and inmates were transferred to other facilities within the system. The state estimated that the closure would result in a savings of $142 million.[3][4] In December 2022, the New York State Prison Redevelopment Commission discussed plans to market and redevelop the site, along with other New York prisons closed in recent years.[5]
References
- ^ "Map 1: Current Zoning" "Town of Fishkill Comprehensive Plan." (Archive) Town of Fishkill. Retrieved on January 19, 2013.
- ^ Weill, Kathy (2016-09-21). "Feds: Prison Guards Beat Black Inmate, Took His Dreadlocks as a 'Trophy'". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 2016-09-22.
- ^ Callahan, Cloey (March 10, 2022). "Fishkill prison closes permanently". www.timesunion.com. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
- ^ News 12 Staff (March 8, 2022). "Downstate Correctional Facility in Fishkill to close after nearly 50 years". brooklyn.news12.com. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
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: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Gross, Hank (2022-12-22). "State issues report to redevelop Downstate Correctional Facility". Mid Hudson News. Retrieved 2022-12-25.