center known maritime facility bed jail barge hold inmates built new_orleans mississippi_river million brought new_york reduce island land bound buildings lower price nicknamed boat prison staff inmates designed handle inmates maximum security cells currently barge use prison barge history prison served traditional inmates juvenile inmates currently holding temporary processing center added security prison water prevented attempted escapes barge named memorial warden died automobile accident prison barge named world largest prison barge operation history late 1980s experienced issues prison complexes idea temporarily issues growing population space prison ships conceived administration mayor solution develop usable prison space maritime cells avoid complaints building densely populated neighborhoods sister ship bought serve prison ships ships previously british troop carriers prison ships ships sold leaving converted ferries docked issue construction center prison barge began supposed finished price million construction problems including issues ventilation system finished barge delivered months late million budget january recently outfitted barge prison brought nautical mile trip new barge named liked respected warden died automobile accident captains barge previously employed company earlier captained hauled barge current location new crew prison barge placed accordance regulations worked barge learn vessel operations including electrical fire fighting systems barge officially opened use began accepting inmates later time barge constructed controversy cost final price million budget attracted negative attention assistant correction commissioner claimed price difference designed kind passenger vessel unfortunately mistake original contract said time prison barge barge build process expensive uncertain independent body monitors city owned prisons prison barge temporarily closed august crowded city caused decline arrests transfers late prison slated reopening rise arrests campaign targeting drugs drug dealers month campaign expected seven thousand additional arrests usual ship reopened currently processing facility inmates system processing facilities handle specific juvenile detention surge need juvenile detention space caused lease space time thousand juveniles aged thirteen eighteen years old secure detention new_york barge unused august maintained ready house inmates center solve space problem assist closure juvenile center temporary space juvenile processing temporary housing inmates prior transfer children moved facility january completing renovations buildings moved center escapes time prisoner tried escape year old prisoner able escape supposed cleaning ice parking lot ship guard responsible suspended pay incident prior tried escape prison recreation area climbing foot fence equipped razor wire guards uniform boots prevented climbing fence pursuit threw stop escape able successfully climb dove promptly picked returned police dispatched scene escape occurred february girlfriend gave key wrist able prison employee noticing remove free able prisoner transport bus ride away facility let bus walked away nearly month later officers captain given administrative leave incident commissioner said escape caused combination quick thinking officers sloppy work early charged petty successfully slipped arrived center facilities foot long foot wide barge equipped cells inmates recreation size gym basketball court weight lifting rooms outdoor recreation facility roof worship modern medical facility library open use ton facility water opened minimum maritime crew maintained regulations according barge captain years monitoring prison barge finally accepted reality facto jail boat prison barge located approximately miles away college
Vernon C. Bain Correctional Center