For 67 years it’s been a razor-wire fixture at North and Madison, one of Bridgeport’s busiest intersections, adjacent Central High School, new Wakeman’s Boys & Girls Club and highly residential lower North End, and now there’s an effort to shut it down.
State Rep. Steve Stafstrom, House chair of the Judiciary Committee, is shepherding a state study to explore closing the Bridgeport Correctional Center, better known locally as the North End jail.
Officials are looking at closing the jail and relocating the prison population to other facilities or building a new one outside of Bridgeport.
In this report from Frank Recchia of News 12, Stafstom who represents the area, says “It’s not the right place for a jail.”
From News 12:
Mayor Joe Ganim says the level 4 high-security lockup has a long history of generating complaints about poor inmate conditions.
Ganim says he has a plan to build a thousand units of new affordable housing where the correctional center now stands on North Avenue, in the Lower North End, bordering the Hollow and downtown.
“Moving the jail out of this neighborhood would allow us to create not only new affordable housing, but more open space for young people, like the kids who play here in BJ Brown Memorial Park, right across the street from the jail,” Ganim said.
See News 12 report here
that would be great but the battle would be GETTING ANOTHER TOWN TO BUILT ONE
Was thinking the same thing Coach,the plan includes closing the Bpt jail as well as the New Haven jail,then building a new one somewhere in between Bpt & NewHaven.What town that would be should be interesting to see.
Also,Joe’s plan to build “ a thousand units of affordable housing there” does “affordable” mean low income housing?..generally it does..
Great point Coach. My guess is, first line, if can be worked, is assimilation into other facilities. Building something is a long journey, but if that’s the case, they’d likely identify a state-owned piece of property to limit the local approvals and pushback. About 30 years ago, local and state geniuses built a juvenile detention center on the Pequonnock River Downtown. Back then a few hundred people lived Downtown, today several thousand. Not many people then to complain about preserving waterfront property. Then circa 2009, Governor Jodi Rell decided to place a women’s prison in the highly residential Upper East Side, calling it an economic development win for Bridgeport. What! State Rep. Chris Caruso galvanized his constituents in opposition. Why must Bridgeport be the easy dumping ground for things no one else wants! Caruso and the neighborhood spoke out vehemently. Rell pulled it back.
you are right , A LONGGGG JOURNEY. Getting it approved and finding a location. Building it. Moving all the inmates. Then tearing down. Building…………………..2047
This is just a distraction to placate Bridgeporters who want high-end development toward a larger tax base and lower taxes — and improved schools and services…
It’s political BS. All that it will get us is a new, improved bigger jail…
(They’re not going to us a soccer stadium to placate us, Joe. You know that!)
(Hey! Where’s out battery factory?!)
Probation, Accelerated Rehabilitation, Home Incarceration, Minimum enforcement of laws, Half-way house, Ankle-monitoring, Deportation, the Death Penalty.
AI is the future. Artificial Incarceration is where we are at as far as crime and punishment goes. Invest in Artificial Incarceration, buy a few Shotguns and live off the grid.
The former director of the State Elections Enforcement, Michael Brandi, FINALLY retired. But, not before making sure that Joe Ganim NOT be a target of elections fraud. 🤔
https://ctmirror.org/2025/06/05/bridgeport-ct-absentee-ballot-fraud-2024-elections/