Rush City is Minnesota’s newest failing prison

I am writing this letter primarily for any and all public safety legislators who may be interested in what type of less-than-legal and harmful activity is going on inside what may one day be the last level 4 prison in the state.

I have been here a little over a year at MCF-Rush City; however, I have been in the state prison system for the last decade and have lived inside all of the highest level prisons in this state, which gives me a unique perspective on the issues relative to each prison, or “correctional facility” as the current terminology goes.

Relative to MCF-St. Cloud, MCF-Oak Park Heights, and even MCF-Stillwater — which is now set to close in the next four years (potentially St. Cloud one day too) — MCF-Rush City is by far the most troubled prison I have lived in.

This is due to the fact that it is currently at nearly 200% capacity of what it was originally designed for. Combine that with the fact that we are understaffed here and it creates the perfect storm.

Don’t believe me? Well, you don’t have to take my word for it. Anyone can easily find this data at the “Minnesota Legislative Reference Library” website under the 3/7/2024 report compiled by the D.O.C. themselves. There is even a section at the bottom for contacting the D.O.C. if anyone has questions 

Upon reading this yourselves, I would further ask that you carefully read MN State Statute 243.53 “Correctional institutions; occupancy limits of cells.”

Under subdivision b, it states: “Correctional institutions classified by the commissioner as custody level one, two, three or four institutions must permit multiple occupancy, except segregation units, to the greatest extent possible not to exceed the limits of facility infrastructure and programming space.”

I’m no lawyer and definitely not a judge, but I can read quite well and I am convinced that once a number of you legislators look into this you will come to the same conclusion.

The report, which was followed up with a February 2025 report by the MN Office of the Ombuds for Corrections titled “Crumbling conditions create crises in Minnesota prisons,” briefly touches on this issue as well as many other solutions for the future of the state prison system.

In the ombuds report from this year, they seem to briefly give the best solution for this place, which is to expand “housing.” However, the 3/7/2024 report exclusive to MCF-Rush City is more troubling. The solution proposed by the DOC research director is to simply add a few new buildings for health services and “programming,” while doing nothing for our relatively cramped and, I would argue, dangerous living quarters.

Let me put this into perspective for those of you unfamiliar with living in a prison for years or decades; step inside a small-sized household bathroom and imagine there being a bed in lieu of a shower. Not the best place for one to live 22-23 hours per day, right? Now imagine another bed above that one with a very violent and unstable individual who may also be a political enemy of yours, whether it is gang-related, prison politics, tribal, etc.

Perhaps you understand the point.

There have been many rapes and multiple murders in here, not to mention everything in between, solely due to that fact. This is largely not an issue in St. Cloud or Stillwater due to the fact that the majority of cells are single-bed only. Oak Park, being a level 5 prison, is 100% single occupancy. To date, they have had only one inmate murdered at MCF-Oak Park since it opened. The other level 4 prisons cannot say the same.

The author, an inmate at MCF-Rush City, chooses to remain anonymous. Due to space constraints, the letter has been edited for length but retains its core message about overcrowding and safety concerns at the facility.