STILLWATER, Minn. — The Stillwater prison looks, smells and sounds like a completely different place these days.

As Minnesota Department of Corrections officials prepare for the upcoming closure of the Minnesota Correctional Facility-Stillwater in Bayport in 2029, entire cell blocks have been shuttered. The prison’s population, once 1,200, is now just 503. The number of staff working at the prison also has dropped dramatically. In June, when the phased closure was announced, there were 567 staff working at Stillwater. There are now 231.

Most striking is a radical change in programming. Earned living units, designed for inmates who have done well during their time in prison, launched in September and will remain in effect until the prison closes by June 30, 2029. The men selected to parti

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