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North Branch Correctional Institution (NBCI) is a high-tech, maximum security prison operated by the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services in Cresaptown, unincorporated Allegany County, Maryland, near Cumberland.

Background
NBCI initially opened in January 2003 as an extension of the adjacent Western Correctional Institution, with full independent operation beginning in the summer 2008 with the completion of housing unit construction. Final construction costs amounted to more than $175 million. In 2011, operating costs totaled $50,613,215 for 1,471 inmates, equating to approximately $34,407 per inmate per year. With 555 employees as of 2011 NBCI is the eight-largest employer in Allegany County.

Security and Safety
Since the closure of the Maryland House of Correction in Jessup, MD in 2007 NBCI has housed the most serious offenders within the State of Maryland, including death row inmates. At the time of its construction, NBCI was one of the most technologically advanced prisons in the world.

The prison was constructed using an “inverted fortress” style of building placement, with a master control tower sitting in the middle of a complex that is ringed with housing units and support structures. The control tower is designed for maximum oversight with minimum staffing, requiring only two officers to maintain the entire security system. It has an unobstructed view of the entire grounds, as well as a complete surveillance of every area accessed by inmates. Additionally, the tower has control over all security doors, cameras, and even the flow of water into individual cells.

Four units of 256 cells house the inmate population. Each cell is just over 60 square feet and is constructed of cast concrete that prevents seams in construction in which to hide contraband. Cell doors are made of ballistic-resistant glass to allow easier observation and enhance officer safety. The perimeter consists of fifteen miles of inwardly-curved razor wire and motion sensors, as well as regular patrols and fence inspections. Trained dogs are used to find illicit materials, including cell phones.

Notable Incidents
In March 2008, several inmates were injured in what was deemed excessive use of force at NBCI. These inmates had allegedly been assaulted by North Branch staff shortly after transfer to the facility from nearby Roxbury Correctional Institution after being uncooperative and violent towards RCI officers. This incident led to six NBCI officers being fired and assault charges being filed.

Several homicides have occurred since operations began. On February 10, 2013 an inmate was found dead in his cell in what was described as an apparent homicide. An inmate’s death in January at a Baltimore hospital was ruled a homicide. The inmate had been assaulted by another inmate at NBCI the previous November. An inmate was found dead in his cell on September 27, 2012 after an apparent strangulation. This led to the indictment of his cellmate on murder charges in January 2013. On December 8, 2011 an inmate was found unresponsive in his cell. His death was ruled a homicide by strangulation.

In Popular Culture
NBCI has been featured on the television programs MegaStructures, Big, Bigger, Biggest, and Lockdown.