The Montana Women’s Prison in Billings has been continuously over-capacity since 2022, according to a report by state lawmakers.
Corrections Director Brian Gootkin told Butte-Silver Bow commissioners Wednesday the Department of Corrections has eased pressure on the state men’s prison by sending inmates to private facilities out of state. Gootkin said the department doesn't have the same option for female inmates.
“The problem with females is there’s no place to put them. The only place we have for females is the women’s prison.”
Corrections wants to build a new women's prison of around 400 beds. Gootkin said he expects legislation to allocate around $250 million for its construction will be introduced to lawmakers next week.
In the meantime, the department is scoping potential locations for the new prison. Gootkin told commissioners Butte has factors that set it apart from other options.
The department already owns land south of town and could retrofit the Highlands Community College campus to a vocational school for inmates — if Highlands is able to relocate to the Montana Tech campus.
Butte-Silver Bow chief executive JP Gallagher was noncommittal on the idea. He says there are positives and negatives.
“The positives are job creation and building and construction that can happen down in the area. The other negative could be — and is — that it’s a state-owned facility meaning there’d be no property tax."
Gootkin said other potential locations for the second women’s prison are Anaconda-Deer Lodge county, Jefferson county, and Yellowstone county.
