The buildings and campus of Bergin Correctional Institution have been put to a number of uses by the State of Connecticut. Before being converted to a prison, the property was part of the Mansfield Training School and Hospital for people with mental disabilities.[3] As the Mansfield Training School, portions of the property are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[4]
The Northeast Correctional Institution was established as a pre-release center for inmates nearing the end of their sentences and specialized in preparing inmates for re-integration into society.[5] It had a number of occupational and substance-abuse treatment programs available, and housed inmates in dormitory-style housing and in cottages.[3]
The prison closed in 1997 but reopened in 1999.[5] On February 3, 2001, the name of the prison was changed to honor late Captain Donald T. Bergin, who had helped open the institution.[1] The prison closed for good on August 12, 2011, due to years of declining prisoner population and budget cuts.[5]
The University of Connecticut leased the former prison for offices and laboratory space.[6] The university acquired the property in March 2015, aiming to redevelop the prison sleeping rooms and gymnasium into project rooms and offices.[7] These plans fell through, and UConn transferred the property back to the state in December 2021. The site is considered for the future location of a new regional technical high school, which would replace Windham Technical High School in Willimantic.[8]
