Union Cites Skyrocketing Violence and Reduced Staffing
Albany, NY – The New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA) objects to the announcement that additional correctional facilities will be closed in the upcoming budget cycle. NYSCOPBA is deeply concerned that closures will exacerbate prison violence, cause relocated staff to leave service through resignation and retirement, and further the cycle of unsustainable staff attrition and prison violence.
The proposed closure of up to five correctional facilities comes at a time of increased violence that requires higher staffing ratios and lower inmate density. As NYSCOPBA previously warned, the implementation of the unrestricted congregate settings and reduced penalties for rules violations via the Humane Alternatives to Long-Term Solitary Confinement Act (HALT) would result in increased violence against incarcerated individuals and staff. Latest data provided by DOCCS supports the argument that prisons are more dangerous than ever. FULL PRESS RELEASE