Security Hospital gets NEW FENCES

July 4, 2013 Security Hospital gets NEW FENCES Change to make environment more therapeutic for mentally ill, will not affect sex offenders

By Dan Linehan dlinehan@mankatofreepress.com The Mankato Free Press The Mankato Free Press Thu Jul 04, 2013, 09:01 AM CDT

The razor-wire fences around the Minnesota Security Hospital in St. Peters Regional Treatment Center are being replaced with no-climb fences to create a more soothing environment for patients.

The no-climb fence offers the same protection and is certainly more conducive to a therapeutic environment, said Anne Barry, a deputy commissioner with the state Department of Human Services.

The change only affects the mentally ill and dangerous residents, not the sex offenders.

There are two distinct groups of residents in the Regional Treatment Center. The Minnesota Security Hospital houses the mentally ill and dangerous, while the Minnesota Sex Offender Program holds those civilly committed for sex crimes.

The fencing at the Security Hospital had been replaced in one yard, and work hasnt yet started on the second yard.

Barry said the new fences are almost impossible to climb but arent as dangerous or threatening. The fencing is chain link up to 12 feet, with 4 feet of no-climb mesh on top.

She said there hasnt been a report of a patient trying to scale the razor-wire fence since the early 90s.

This is a preventive measure, she said.

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Security Hospital gets NEW FENCES