McNeil Island Prison closes today
Photograph courtesy of Benjamin Helle, Washington State Archives.
Yesterday, just a day before the prison closed, staffers from State Archives and other historical societies took a tour of the facility and snapped photographs of the historic site. After 135 years, the McNeil Island Prison shut down operations due to state budget cuts. Stories told from those who worked or served time inside the prison are found in today’s story of the Olympian.
4 thoughts on “McNeil Island Prison closes today”
It would make an awesome state park, but of course there is no money for that either.
What happened to the sexual predators housed in a section of that prison?
Time has shown that larger prisons are too expensive,complex,and even inhuman to operate. Let’s do something for inmates,too. More small facilities that allow interaction with their families and support staff and also let local governments take care of them.
There’s no doubt that correctional facilities provide the necessary justice for both, offenders and their victims, but what happens when the justice is unfair and less humane.
As for a park/museum, privatize the site and call for a society of former inmates and staff be created.
Comments are closed.