North Dakota – Gov. Kelly Armstrong and Lt. Gov. Michelle Strinden joined staff and residents from the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DOCR) to break ground on the Heart River Correctional Center (HRCC), the state’s new women’s correctional facility in Mandan.
The event marked a significant milestone, as this is the first correctional facility in the state’s history designed specifically for women, with a focus on rehabilitation and safe reentry into society.
The 191,500-square-foot facility will provide 304 beds—an increase of 178 compared to the Dakota Women’s Correctional Rehab Center in New England, which has served as the state’s primary women’s prison since 2003. HRCC is expected to be completed by fall 2027.
“This day is historic for North Dakota because for the first time in our state’s 135-year history, we’re breaking ground on a correctional facility designed specifically for women,” Armstrong said.
“This long-overdue project will ensure DOCR staff and the women in their custody have safe, modern, and comparable facilities where residents can serve their sentences and build toward their eventual reentry into their communities.”
DOCR Director Colby Braun emphasized that the facility’s mission extends beyond incarceration. “From the very first day someone enters this facility, the focus will be on reentry—on preparing them for the day they will return to their families and communities,” Braun said. “We are not simply building a prison; we are creating a place of opportunity, responsibility, and hope.”
HRCC Warden Connie Hackman Rivinius echoed this vision, stating that the facility will promote rehabilitation through role modeling, relationships, and skill-building programs. “We will continue to expand on what HRCC currently does, assisting women in becoming the best versions of themselves through programming, relationships, and accountability,” she said. “The goal is to create a safe and healthy, relationship-based environment that is trauma and gender-responsive, with a high level of care and skill-building programming.”
Armstrong acknowledged the state legislature’s role in making the project possible, highlighting the $131.2 million allocated in 2023 for the facility’s design and construction. An additional $35.6 million is proposed in Armstrong’s 2025-27 budget, bringing the total project budget to $166.8 million. The DOCR collaborated with JLG Architects, JB Marie, and DLR Group to design the facility, ensuring it meets the needs of both staff and residents.
