Population as of July 1, 2009:

General Information:

The York Correctional Institution is a high-security facility.  It serves as the state's only institution for female offenders.  It serves all superior courts in Connecticut and manages all pretrial and sentenced female offenders, whatever their security level.

The programming units at the facility have an extensive array of positive interventions for the population, including the 80-bed intensive, inpatient drug treatment unit, the Marilyn Baker House.   An Hospice program trains inmate volunteers to provide end of life care to fellow offenders.

In June 2005, the innovative Charlene Perkins Reentry Center was dedicated in honor of a past deputy warden.  The 100 bed stand alone unit assists in preparing appropriate women offenders, who are within 18 months with the skills they will need for successful reintegration into the community.

The Department's Correctional Enterprise of Connecticut manages a program based at this facility in which 50 inmates are employed in data entry projects for other state agencies.

Through the Prison PUP Partnership, appropriate offenders raise and train assistance dogs who are then provided to deaf and disabled persons in the community through NEADS.

Girl Scouts Behind Bars, for the daughters of incarcerated women, reflects recent research that enhanced visitation may reduce the possibility of the mother returning to prison and/or the daughter becoming an offender.

Female offenders have spoken to many school and local organizations, as well as at risk youth. Community service crews have assisted at the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, Camp Hazen, the New London Housing Authority, and OpSail 2000.

Present staffing: 502.

Listing of the inmate programs available at this facility (PDF, 916 KB).

NEADS

Visiting Schedule (PDF, 11 KB).

History:

The Niantic Correctional Institution was founded in 1918 as the Connecticut State Farm and Reformatory for Women. In 1930 an addition added to the population capacity and the facility was renamed the Niantic Correctional Institution.  With the transfer of women from the State Prison in Wethersfield, it became only correctional institution for women in Connecticut.

In 1988 dormitory style housing was built and added an additional 224 beds.

The York Correctional Institution was opened in October of 1994 and was named after Janet York who served as Warden at the Niantic Correctional Institution.

In 1996 the York Correctional Institution and the Niantic Correctional Institution were consolidated into one facility keeping the York Correctional Institution as its name. This facility is situated on 425 acres.

In 1997 an additional celled housing unit was built to add another 196 beds.

List of past wardens: