The Gowanda Correctional Facility Will Be Closing in 2021

Big news out of Gowanda on Monday afternoon.

According to WIVB, an NYSCOPBA official said that the Gowanda Correctional Facility will be closing by March 30th, 2021.

The over 500 workers at the facility will have the opportunity to be transferred to other facilities. Gowanda is one of three facilities across the state that will be closing.

The decision, according to the DOCCS, was based on a variety of factors, including physical infrastructure, program offerings, facility security level, specialized medical and mental health services, potential reuse options, and areas of the state where prior closures have occurred to minimize the impact to communities.

This is part of the statement DOCCS made about the closure of Gowanda and the other two facilities, courtesy of WIVB:

“Since taking office, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has been at the forefront of some of the nation’s most progressive criminal justice reforms by spearheading a series of smart and fair policies that have closed prisons and decreased incarceration rates, brought accountability and transparency to our criminal justice system, protected the rights of victims and upheld due process, all while ensuring New York residents remain safe and secure."

"With the closure of these two facilities and the Clinton-Annex, we will be able to absorb the incarcerated population into vacant beds available at other institutions. These closures will result in an annual savings of approximately $89 million and a reduction of around 2,750 beds."

Read the full statement here.

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Not everyone is happy about this, however, including New York State Party Chairman Nick Langworthy.

“Andrew Cuomo’s announcement that he is closing three state prisons and killing thousands of jobs four days before Christmas is as cold-hearted and miserly as you can get," said Langworthy.

Read the full story here.