Willard Correctional Institution closes
Apr. 3—ENFIELD — The Willard Correctional Institution closed its doors Saturday because of a decline in the state's prison population.
Gov. Ned Lamont in January announced plans to close the facility at 391 Shaker Road, which will save taxpayers about $6.5 million in annual operating costs.
About 260 inmates have been transferred to other prisons in the state. Safety and security were the main focus when determining where inmates would be relocated.
According to Lamont's office, the total population at all correctional facilities statewide is roughly 10,000, substantially down from the all-time high of 19,894 in February 2008.
During the last decade, the state crime rate has been on the decline, Lamont said. The violent crime rate fell by 43% and the property crime rate fell by 29%.
Lamont said in the most recent year of available data, Connecticut's violent crime rate was less than half the national rate.
Sen. John A. Kissel, R-Enfield, said the closure will not reduce Enfield's Payment of Lieu of Taxes, or PILOT, funding, which the state provides to municipalities and special taxing districts to reimburse them a portion of the revenue loss from certain tax-exempt property.
Kissel said the 71 employees will be re-employed at other facilities near Willard.
Officials said the move would help reduce overtime expenses and fill vacant roles at other facilities.
Willard opened in 1990 as a Level 2 facility for male inmates.
It is the third prison in the state to close in less than two years. The Radgowski Correctional Center in Uncasville closed in November 2021 and Northern Correctional Institution in Somers closed in June of the same year.
For more coverage of Somers and Enfield, follow Susan Danseyar on Twitter: @susandanseyar, Facebook: Susan Danseyar, reporter.
