Russell asks Paterson to withdraw plan to close Ogdensburg prison

Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell, D-Theresa, has formally asked Gov. David A. Paterson to remove the Ogdensburg Correctional Facility from his list of proposed prison closures.

Her arguments, according to a press release are:

• The prison is needed to house the number of inmates in the state: According to the Department of Corrections Inmate Population Breakdown report there are currently 4,000 double-bunked beds. Even further, maximum security prisons are currently at 121.7 percent capacity and medium security at 94.5 percent capacity including double-bunking.
• The success of the Ogdensburg facility: At the Ogdensburg facility there are rare inmate on inmate incidents as well as inmate on staff incidents. The facility runs smoothly and repeatedly scores high on their regular inspections.

  Lower operating costs than other facilities: Ogdensburg Correctional receives free steam heat based on a 25 year contract that the state's Office of Mental Health has with a private facility located on the psychiatric center's grounds. They are currently working with OMH to make changes to their contract so that they can expand their operation to generate 26 megawatts of power from biomass, creating approximately 50 permanent new green jobs.

• Costs can be cut elsewhere: Reducing the administrative staff at the Department of Corrections in Albany could save $15 million, not replacing the hot water boiler house in the facility because there is no need could save $9.4 million.

Prison