ST. PAUL — Minnesota Correctional Facility-Stillwater is set to operate at half its original capacity by Oct. 1, the Department of Corrections told lawmakers Thursday, Sept. 25, in a remote hearing.

The closure of the prison was announced on May 15 as part of a budget deal between Gov. Tim Walz and legislative leaders, citing concerns about the deteriorating facility and the cost of upkeep. Its full closure is expected by June 30, 2029, according to the DOC.

The prison’s capacity is set to be half, or 553, by Oct. 1, and the population as of this week is 487 incarcerated persons (IPs), Minnesota DOC Commissioner Paul Schnell said Thursday.

The DOC has transferred 2,017 total IPs across the entire prison system since June 16 — 728 have been transferred out of Stillwater, and 244 have

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