(C) Minnesota Reformer
This story was originally published by Minnesota Reformer and is unaltered.
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We've asked a lot of people about closing Stillwater, except the people who live there • Minnesota Reformer [1]
['Duane Whitson', 'Darryl Taylor', 'Jaime Vaca', 'Preston Sharlow', 'Prince Jones', 'Kamili Matata', 'Prison Journalism Project', 'David Boehnke', 'Eric Harris Bernstein', 'More From Author']
Date: 2025-08-21
When the Department of Corrections announced in May that it will close the Stillwater prison, reactions from state government were largely positive.
“I think we owe [incarcerated people] 2025 conditions,” said state Rep. Paul Novotny, R-Elk River.
Even before the announcement, the Minnesota Office of the Ombudsman for Corrections had put out a report saying conditions were so bad “that closing the facility must be seriously considered.”
The problem is, nobody asked us — the prisoners, the people who will be most affected by the closure — what we think.
The answer is complicated.
As state legislators rightly pointed out, Stillwater is an outdated prison. The sewer pipes are so rusted that the water coming out of our faucets is brown. The windows are broken. There is no air conditioning. It feels like we lose five pounds a day during the summer from sweating in the extreme heat.
But some prisoners have lived here for decades. For some of us, Stillwater is the place we have lived the longest. Over that time, we have built long-term friendships, we have gotten comfortable with our social circles, we have come to feel a sense of belonging.
At times, the dynamics are so strong that the community feels like a family.
The long-term prisoners offer insight to the new prisoners on how to gain a routine and do their time. On a regular day, we see a group of people working out together, another cooking together, others playing cards, another group studying together. Everywhere you look, we see people educating and helping one another.
There is no question, serving time in Stillwater, as in any prison, is brutal and dehumanizing. But for now, we call this place home, proof that we can create an identity, even in this oppressive environment.
It’s not just the relationships we have here, though.
Stillwater has programs, college, religious groups — our third spaces where people have come together and created guidance for each other. It takes time and vulnerability to gain a sense of security and comfort where we as people can truly grow with each other.
When we get transferred to another facility, there is no guarantee that we will have access to those programs, programs that are supposed to help us with our rehabilitation.
But there is a guarantee that these circles that we have cultivated will be divided.
There’s a possibility that even the students, who have worked hard to get to college, may be forced to give up their educational status.
There’s something else, too, though: We are human beings.
Some may say we broke the law and that we deserve to be punished.
But we are also people — people with ideas, people with feelings, people with families and social ties.
It has taken some time, self-reflection and genuine truth for us to realize that our actions that got us incarcerated had a ripple effect.
They impacted our families, friends and communities tremendously.
It has also taken some more time and effort to repair these relationships.
The Department of Corrections needs to understand that the closure of Stillwater will also have a ripple effect.
It’s a fact that the Stillwater facility is the closest to the Twin Cities; therefore, no matter where we go, the commute for our loved ones to come visit us will likely be longer, ultimately making it tougher for them to come visit us.
And, who knows what other unforeseen barriers will arise at the other facilities?
Commissioner, administration and whomever else that made these decisions: All we ask is that we would like to have a moment of your attention to give you our perspective.
We fully understand that we are prisoners, and are considered property of the state of Minnesota.
But we also have a voice, and our voice collectively deserves to be heard. A little bit of dialogue and communication is all we seek. A little bit of human interaction should not be too much to ask for.
We know it’s a security threat for us to be given the information about where we are going, but we would be grateful for a heads-up about when we are leaving.
We would like to have the opportunity to say goodbye and peace to the communities, families, and circles that we have created.
It’s disheartening knowing that these relationships and communities that we took time and effort to create will simply perish in an instant.
Closing Stillwater will bring big change — for the state, for the officers, and, most of all, for us.
We aren’t asking to make the final decision about what happens, but our experience living here could offer the DOC valuable insight about how to make it better.
Organize a town hall, or set up meetings with prisoner representatives to hear what we have to say.
We are people, after all.
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[1] Url:
https://minnesotareformer.com/2025/08/21/weve-asked-a-lot-of-people-about-closing-stillwater-except-the-people-who-live-there/
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