Vail on the Closure of Northern Correctional Institute

SOMERS – It was announced that Northern Correctional Institute will close by July 1, 2021. State Rep. Kurt Vail (R-Stafford), who represents the communities of Somers and Stafford, responded to the announcement on Monday.

“The state will save roughly $12 million annually in operating expenses after the closure of the facility,” said Vail, who previously served within the Dept. of Corrections. “Northern was built at a different time, when there were significantly more violent offenders incarcerated. In recent years, that population has decreased and become more manageable, so transferring them to other facilities will not pose a danger to staff or other inmates.”

Vail went on to explain that the plan does not call for a reduction in the DOC’s workforce. Inmates currently housed at Northern will be transferred by the summer months. Staff will also be reassigned.

The Town of Somers should not be negatively impacted by the closure. “It’s been communicated to me that budgetary commitments the state has made to our community will be honored. Items, like PILOT program allocations, should not be altered because of this decision,” explained Vail.

Connecticut’s current prison population is around 9,000, in 2008 that number was just under 20,000.

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