Prisons

Prisons in the ADK

Located in the Northeastern tip of the Adirondacks, Clinton Correctional Facility is infamous for its frigid temperatures, earning it the nickname “Little Siberia”. While it has been mildly known for its Siberian esque winters, it is now much more well known, as two inmates from the maximum security prison escaped this past June. Richard Matt and David Sweat dug a tunnel through the prison walls (quite similarly to the movie The Shawshank Redemption) and eventually led themselves to a manhole and escaped into the street. While Matt was killed and Sweat captured around three weeks after their escape, their plan to survive and never get caught rested on the climate of the Adirondacks.

It is suspected that the two began their digging tunnel in the early winter, working at night while guards suspected they were sleeping. They also are believed to have finished their tunnel in the spring, but did not leave at the first chance they had, rather they waited until early June to make their escape. While most prisoners would not have the patience to wait when presented with the opportunity to escape, Matt and Sweat were two cunning prisoners in extraordinary circumstances. Clinton Correctional Facility receives around 80 inches of snow per year, with more snow accumulating in mountainous regions nearby. Surviving on the run would be practically impossible in the winter or spring, thus the two inmates strategically choose to escape during the start of the tolerable weather for the region. Sometimes it feels the same here at Hamilton College, but at least we’re not in prison!

While Clinton Correctional Facility’s security lapse may have taken center stage in the recent discussion about prisons in the Adirondacks, there are quite a few other prisons in region. When New York State started to crack down on drugs in the 1970’s, prisons soon began to fill up. The New York Corrections department became the largest employer in the state as workers transitioned from working class jobs in factories and mines to working in prisons. Part of the boom was due to the vast expanses of cheap land, with people in the area willing to take jobs. What was not considered when developing the prisons in the region was the idea of whether the park was intended for this use. Typically there is a debate about whether a business should be allowed to develop in the park, however, the state owns half the park so it has the right to do as it wants. Prisons have now become a fixture in the park to the dismay of some who claim that the park should be free of criminals and stay ‘forever wild’. However, the state owns much of the park and operates the correctional facilities, so it doesn’t look like any change is coming soon.

Works Cited

Mann, Brian. "Hard Times in 'Siberia'" Adirondack Explorer. N.p., 1 Sept. 2013. Web. 29 Oct.

2015.

Rashbaum, William K. "New York Prisoner’s Keys to Escape: Lapsed Rules, Tools and Luck." The New York Times. The New York Times, 20 July 2015. Web. 29 Oct. 2015.