North Dakota DOCR Enters Inmate Admission Prioritization Due to Capacity Issues

(KNOX) – In a significant move to manage its growing inmate population, the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DOCR) has initiated a prioritization strategy in accordance with NDCC 54-23.3-11.

As of July 1, 2023, the DOCR has witnessed a steady rise in its incarcerated male population, surpassing its operational limit of 1,624 inmates. The current count now stands at an alarming 1,779, necessitating urgent action. To address the critical shortage of prison beds, county jail partners—most notably the Heart of America Correction and Treatment Center, Southwest Multi-County Correction Center, and McKenzie County—have stepped in to provide additional bed space through contracts. However, as of Monday, these supplementary accommodations have reached full capacity, causing a backlog of new admissions and prompting the DOCR to implement its inmate admission prioritization plan.

The newly instituted prioritization plan empowers the DOCR to delay or deny the admission of inmates sentenced to its custody when such actions would push the inmate count beyond the operational limits of the department and its partner facilities. This move aims to prevent the DOCR from exceeding its budget for contracting inmate housing elsewhere. In light of this situation, state law mandates the DOCR to develop a comprehensive prison population management strategy that prioritizes admissions based on sentencing severity and available space within the State Penitentiary and its affiliated institutions. Notably, offenders convicted of violent Class AA, A, and B felony offenses are prioritized for incarceration in these circumstances.

“Public safety continues to be our top priority as we enter prioritization,” stated DOCR Director Colby Braun, emphasizing the department’s commitment to maintaining safety amidst these challenges.

The DOCR has established a maximum operational capacity for male and female inmates at 1,624 and 262, respectively. This operational capacity takes into account various facilities, including the North Dakota State Penitentiary, James River Correctional Center, Missouri River Correctional Center, Heart River Correction Center, and Dakota Women’s Rehabilitation and Correctional Center, alongside contractual treatment, transitional housing facilities, and county or regional correctional facility beds. In the event that the average daily inmate population for any gender exceeds the maximum operational capacity within a given month, the DOCR is compelled to enforce the inmate admission prioritization plan in the following month.