Back Vernon C. Bain Correctional Center Danish Vernon C. Bain Correctional Center German Centro Correccional Vernon C. Bain Spanish Vernon C. Bain Correctional Center Finnish
 The jail barge seen from the East River | |
 | |
| Location | Hunts Point, Bronx, New York |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 40°48′5″N 73°52′38″W / 40.80139°N 73.87722°W |
| Status | Closed |
| Security class | intake and processing |
| Capacity | 870 |
| Opened | 1992 |
| Closed | 2023 |
| Managed by | New York City Department of Corrections |
| Warden | Linda Griffin[1] |
| Street address | 1 Halleck Street |
| City | New York City |
| State/province | New York |
| ZIP Code | 10474 |
| Country | United States |
The Vernon C. Bain Correctional Center (VCBC; also known as the Vernon C. Bain Maritime Facility[2] and nicknamed "The Boat"[3]) was an 800-bed jail barge used to hold inmates for the New York City Department of Corrections. The barge was anchored off the Bronx's southern shore, across from Rikers Island, near Hunts Point. It was built for $161 million at Avondale Shipyard in Louisiana, along the Mississippi River near New Orleans,[4] and brought to New York in 1992 to reduce overcrowding in the island's land-bound buildings for a lower price.[5] Nicknamed "The Boat" by jail staff and inmates,[6] it was designed to handle inmates from medium- to maximum-security in 16 dormitories and 100 cells.
The Vernon C. Bain Center was the third jail barge that the New York Department of Corrections has used. In its history, the jail has served traditional inmates, juvenile inmates and is currently used as a holding and temporary processing center. The added security of the jail being on water has prevented at least four attempted escapes. The barge was named in memorial for warden Vernon C. Bain, who died in an automobile accident. In 2014, the jail barge was named the world's largest prison barge in operation by Guinness World Records.[7] The barge was decommissioned in November 2023.
- ^ "Correction (DOC)". New York City Citywide Administrative Services. NYC Government. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
- ^ "National Jail and Adult Detention Directory". American Correctional Association: 306. 2000. ISBN 9781569911150.
- ^ Chan, Shirley (April 15, 2016). "Local politicians say secret plan for a 'mini Rikers' in the works". WPIX 11. Tribune Broadcasting. Retrieved January 16, 2017.
- ^ Raab, Selwyn (January 27, 1992). "Bronx Jail Barge to Open, Though the Cost Is Steep". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 30, 2013.
- ^ Wacquant 2009, p. 124.
- ^ Sullivan, Laura (January 22, 2010). "Inmates Who Can't Make Bail Face Stark Options". NPR. Retrieved March 30, 2013.
- ^ Glenday, Craig (2013). Guinness Book of World Records 2014. Guinness World Records Limited. pp. 133. ISBN 9781908843159.