Vernon C. Bain Correctional Center

The Vernon C. Bain Correctional Center is a prison ship off the coast of the South Bronx in Hunts Point in the East River in New York City.

The ship is part of the prison complex Rikers Iceland, the largest prison in the world, which is operated by the New York City Department of Correction ( NYDoC ). It was built in New Orleans for 161 million U.S. dollars and brought to New York in 1992. An initiative of David Dinkins wanted to provide a cost-effective accommodation of prisoners. The ship should also relieve the overcrowded Rikers Iceland and it has room for 800 prisoners in 16 dormitories and 100 individual cells. It is named after Vernon C. Bain, a correctional officer who was killed in a car accident. The ship served temporarily as a New York youth prison. Available are a large kitchen, a law library, leisure, recreation rooms and on the top deck basketball court. As the prison ship is not firmly attached to the shore, the provisions of the Coast Guard require one of three ships' crews, including an officer, an engineer and a machinist, which caused $ 650,000 per year additional cost the constant presence.