The residents said that, prior to the prison's construction, the state had said that "harden" and "violent" criminals would not be held in that facility.

[6] Glenn S. Anderson, a Michigan state senator from Westland,[5][7] said that the plan should not proceed because the prisoners would become discipline problems since it is too far for family members to come visit them.

[5] Dawson Bell of the Detroit Free Press said that "[t]he announcement was nevertheless greeted with skepticism by some department employees and others who had been encouraged by reports earlier this week that Ryan might remain open as a prison, while the shuttered Mound Facility next door was converted for use as a parolee detention center.

"[5] Marlan said that it would have been too expensive to re-open Mound and convert it into a parole violator facility so MDOC decided not to do it.

[5] Anderson argued that it would have made more sense to put a parole facility at Mound instead of at Ryan.

[6] Bell said "A Facebook page for Michigan Corrections Organization members, the prison system's largest union, was filled with complaints Thursday afternoon about the disruption the changes will bring to workers' lives, and predictions that the claimed efficiencies will not materialize.

In addition the prison houses gun towers, razor-ribbon wire, and electronic detection systems.