Fancy spending time on The Boat? The Vernon C. Bain Correctional Center. Affectionately known as The Boat. This jail barge once floated off the Bronx’s shore near Hunts Point. It was more than just a boat. It was New York City’s solution to jail overcrowding.
The late 1980s saw Rikers Island bursting at the seams. Mayor Edward I. Koch sought a novel solution. Why not use maritime cells? Thus, the Vernon C. Bain Center was conceived. It avoided neighborhood complaints about new jails.
Built in Louisiana along the Mississippi River, the Vernon C. Bain Center cost $161 million. It arrived in New York in 1992. The Boat was designed for medium to maximum security inmates. Sixteen dormitories and 100 cells held up to 800 inmates.
The Vernon C. Bain Center was not the city’s first jail barge. Two earlier ships, the Bibby Resolution and Bibby Venture, served a similar purpose. But The Boat was different. It was larger and more permanent.
Named in memory of warden Vernon C. Bain, who died in an accident, the barge gained notoriety. In 2014, Guinness World Records called it the world’s largest prison barge. Its location on the water added a layer of security. There were at least four attempted escapes.
The construction of the Vernon C. Bain Center faced challenges. Ventilation problems and other issues caused delays and cost overruns. The final price tag exceeded the budget by $35 million.
Despite the cost, city officials defended the project. Assistant Correction Commissioner John H. Shanahan cited design mistakes. William Booth, chairman of the Board of Corrections, vowed it would be the last jail barge.
Interestingly, by the time The Boat opened, jail populations had begun to decline. The Vernon C. Bain Center temporarily closed in 1995. It reopened in 1998 to house juvenile inmates. Later, it became a processing center for adult inmates.
The Vernon C. Bain Center was considered for closure. Officials debated relocating inmates to other facilities. A plan even proposed building a new jail in The Boat’s parking lot.
Life on The Boat was tough. Detainees faced cramped dormitories and limited recreation. Some reported leaks and electrical problems. One hour of recreation per day was the norm.
Several incidents marked the Vernon C. Bain Center’s final years. An inmate died from untreated meningitis in 2021. Another committed suicide in 2022 by jumping off the barge. Critics called it a “slave ship”.
The Vernon C. Bain Center finally decommissioned in November 2023. Inmates were moved to Rikers Island and other facilities. The Associated Press described The Boat as a “grim vestige of mass incarceration”.
Measuring 625 feet long and 125 feet wide, the Vernon C. Bain Center offered some amenities. A gym with a basketball court, weightlifting rooms, and outdoor recreation were available. There were also chapels, a medical facility, and a library.
In 2019, The Boat employed 317 workers at an annual cost of $24 million. Its use-of-force rate was among the lowest in the city’s jail system. Despite this, controversy surrounded its operation.
Looking back, the Vernon C. Bain Correctional Center represents a unique chapter in New York City’s correctional history. A floating solution to overcrowding. Now a relic of a bygone era. The Boat is a reminder of the challenges of incarceration and the search for humane solutions.