N.D. women's prison being remodeled, expanded

NEW ENGLAND, N.D. (AP) — Construction is to begin in about two weeks on a $1.3 million expansion and remodeling of the North Dakota women's prison in New England.

The remodeling at the Dakota Women's Correctional and Rehab Center will include a fire alarm system upgrade, more security cameras and new windows and doors. The addition will house a visitation area and a control room that will be triple the size of the current room and will have state-of-the-art equipment.

“It helps us meet our contract with the state better and it also makes for better working conditions and it adds safety,” said Duane Wolf, chairman of the Southwest Multi County Correction Board, which oversees the prison in the southwest North Dakota town.

Extra security will be hired during the project at the prison, which is a converted school building that began taking inmates from North Dakota's prison system in November 2003.

The project has been planned for about five years, said prison financial administrator Connie Monson.

“It's money that has been appropriated throughout the years of operations for renovations,” she said. The board approved construction Monday.

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