A prison in Muskegon Heights will close in March. The Michigan Department of Corrections announced the closure today.
Almost 175 people work at the facility. The MDOC says it plans to do what it can to ensure that all employees have a job when the prison closes.
Chris Gautz is a spokesperson for the department. He says the state’s prison population is on the decline. That’s good for the state – but not necessarily the workers.
Gautz says the department believes it will be able to place almost all of the staff at other facilities. He says there are job openings at two other facilities in Muskegon. There are also opportunities in Ionia – which is about an hour away.