Falling Concrete Forces Temporary Closure of Terminal Island Prison Near Los Angeles

The Federal Correctional Institution at Terminal Island, a low-security prison south of Los Angeles, has suspended operations after inspectors found deteriorating tunnel ceilings that have allowed chunks of concrete to fall around the facility's steam heating lines. Officials say the damage threatens critical infrastructure and poses a safety risk to staff and inmates.

Director William K. Marshall III notified staff that the decision, while difficult, was necessary to avoid a potential crisis. The 1938 facility houses nearly 1,000 inmates, including high-profile prisoners such as Sam Bankman-Fried and Michael Avenatti. Marshall warned that relocating inmates and assessing the damage could take several weeks.

According to agency statements, underground tunnels that carry the prison's steam heating system have deteriorating ceilings. Falling concrete not only endangers employees but could also disable key heating equipment, prompting the agency to pause operations rather than risk a catastrophic failure.

'We are not going to wait for a crisis. We are not going to gamble with lives. And we are not going to expect people to work or live in conditions that we would never accept for ourselves,' Director Marshall wrote.

Bureau spokesperson Randilee Giamusso said officials are taking immediate steps to safeguard staff and inmates. Transfers to other federal facilities will begin with a priority on keeping individuals as close as possible to their anticipated release locations. The bureau has emphasized that the facility's long-term future will be decided after a full safety assessment.

Terminal Island is the latest example of the agency's aging infrastructure: an April 2024 engineering assessment identified more than $110 million in critical repairs at the site over the next 20 years, while agency-wide estimates put the repair backlog at roughly $3 billion. Earlier closures and consolidations have already reduced the bureau's footprint in recent years.

Oversight reviews and internal reports have also highlighted systemic problems across the prison system, including sexual abuse, criminal activity by some staff, several escapes and persistent contraband flows. In December 2024 the bureau idled six prison camps and permanently closed a women's facility in Dublin, California, after widespread staff misconduct was reported. In February officials said about 4,000 beds across the system were unusable due to hazardous conditions such as leaking roofs, mold, asbestos or lead.

At the same time the agency is moving forward on new construction — including a planned prison in Kentucky — and has explored reopening the historic Alcatraz island at the direction of senior leadership. Marshall and other senior officials, including the attorney general, visited Alcatraz in July as part of those discussions.

Staffing shortages continue to strain operations: long overtime shifts and the reassignment of nurses, teachers and cooks to security duties have become common. Factors making recruitment and retention difficult include a hiring freeze and competing offers from other agencies, such as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which has offered signing bonuses to attract correctional officers.

In September, the bureau announced it was canceling its collective bargaining agreement with the union representing many correctional staff; the union has filed suit to block that action. For now, bureau leaders say the priority is to move people to safe locations and complete a thorough assessment of Terminal Island before determining next steps.