Raleigh, North Carolina.In addition to destroying houses, businesses, and highways, Hurricane Helene in September 2024 prompted the closure of five state correctional facilities and forced thousands of prisoners to flee their homes. According to Spectrum Local News, the impacted jails have reopened with renovations meant to avoid repeat disruptions, almost a year later.
Massive Prison Disruptions
The closures were brought on by extensive utility failures, power outages, water supply interruptions, and exposure to raw sewage rather than structural damage. The Black Mountain Substance Abuse Treatment Center for Women, Mountain View Correctional Institution, Avery-Mitchell Correctional Institution, Crang Correctional Center, and Western Correctional Center for Women were among the facilities impacted.
The North Carolina Department of Adult Correction sent 2,190 prisoners to various institutions throughout the state in the days after the storm. More than 500 recently convicted people are still awaiting admission to the prison system as a result of this mass move, which increased the already significant intake backlog.
Staggered Reopenings
By November 2024, the Black Mountain Substance Abuse Center, the Western Correctional Center for Women, and Craggy Correctional had reopened. While Avery-Mitchell in Spruce Pine didn’t reopen until July 2025, over ten months after the storm, Mountain View followed in January 2025.
Staffing issues, a generator fire, and a protracted water supply outage caused the delay at Avery-Mitchell. According to Keith Acree, director of communications for the Department of Adult Correction, “we had a lot of staff members in the west at those prisons that had severe damage or complete loss of their homes.” Others are still unable to return to work, and some lost family members in the storm.
Adjusted Operations and Improvements
Some prisons continue to operate with smaller inmate populations even after reopening in order to accommodate staffing levels. Currently, Mountain View is home to 217 Avery-Mitchell inmates, 265 Craggy inmates, and 896 inmates.
The agency prioritized resilience measures as a result of the disaster, including replacing outdated roofs with better storm-resistant ones and enhancing water, sewer, and power redundancy. In addition, the state is currently in the second year of an initiative to equip every jail residence with air conditioning. Currently, 79% of prisoner beds are located in air-conditioned spaces; by 2026, complete coverage is anticipated.
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