Business owners near a prison in Raiford worry about the potential fallout after the state decided to close seven correctional facilities.

The Department of Corrections said Thursday that the closures are part of a consolidation plan. The facilities will be shut down by July 1, the agency said.

The New River Correctional Institution is one of the seven facilities.

At the Lawtey Community Food Store in Raiford, owner Alex Banba said most of his customers work in the prison system.

"They live on that job, on that prison job," said Banba.

He was shocked to hear the state plans on closing the correctional facility.

"If they lose that job, everybody's going to hurt," said Banba.

New River C.I. holds nearly 1,500 inmates and has 322 employees and is slated for closure in the plan by March with the adjacent New River O-Unit to be shut down April 1. Closure of just those two facilities would save the state $17.6 million next year.

State officials said prisons have less inmates and a surplus of beds.

The state plans on relocate the nearly 1,500 inmates at New River C.I. to other facilities, and that it will work to relocate the employees to other prisons and work camps.

But those who live in the community wonder how many will actually stay in Raiford.

"They're going to pick up their houses and move them," said Andrew Lane, who lives in Raiford.

"There are a bunch of people who live right here close and work out there. I don't think that's too good of an idea," Lane added.