The Montana Department of Corrections plans to transfer female prisoners from Boulder’s Riverside facility to Pine Hills Correctional Facility in Miles City. This decision affects about 50 women, making room for more inmates at the 144-bed Pine Hills site. Agency spokesperson Carolynn Stocker confirmed the department’s intentions to explore this option to alleviate capacity issues.
A press release indicated a strategic move aimed at addressing the state’s overcrowded prison system. Stocker clarified that the transfer will open new opportunities for better managing prison populations. Pine Hills will be reconfigured to expand the state’s correctional capacity from 300 to 500 beds, although no timeline has been shared.
Currently, 70 women serve sentences in county jails due to limited space in long-term facilities. The department’s renovation at Pine Hills, funded by House Bill 833, will utilize part of a $250 million legislative allocation. Currently, 250 women are incarcerated at Montana Women’s Prison in Billings, with no plans for expansion there.
Approximately 35 youth offenders at Pine Hills will relocate to Riverside, facilitating this exchange. Director Eric Strauss expressed that the historic investment secured by Governor Gianforte will allow the department to better serve those in its care. However, plans to build a new facility in other locations such as Butte, Boulder, or Hardin have been ruled out.
Montana’s prison system also faces challenges with its male population, as 600 men are housed in Mississippi and another 20 in county jails. The department has yet to establish a timeline for these transitions.
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