New York’s prison system is facing mounting challenges, and recent recommendations from the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) are drawing support from lawmakers who say they are a step in the right direction—but not enough to fix systemic problems.
The DOCCS report, released earlier this month, proposes expanding the list of offenses that could land inmates in segregated confinement, including sexual harassment, lewd conduct, and gang-related extortion. Correctional officers say the changes could help restore order in facilities where assaults on staff and inmates have risen sharply since the Humane Alternatives to Long-Term Solitary Confinement (HALT) Act took effect in 2022.
Union leaders and elected officials argue HALT has undermined discipline and morale by restricting officers’ ability to separate violent inmates. Staffing shortages have compounded the problem, with fewer than 13,500 officers and sergeants currently working in state prisons—well below the 14,600 called for in staffing plans.
Assembly Republican Leader Will Barclay said the DOCCS recommendations represent progress but warned that real reform cannot happen without repealing HALT. “Violent criminals who are not forced to face consequences for their actions pose a grave threat to our officers,” Barclay said. “These changes restore some accountability, but they are only the beginning. Until HALT is repealed, staff and inmates will remain in danger.”
Assemblyman Joe DeStefano, who previously served in the Suffolk Sheriff’s Office, said staffing and morale remain critical concerns. “Governor Hochul’s decision to fire 2,000 officers made an already serious problem even worse,” DeStefano said, noting that her actions led to a correction officers’ strike and prison uprisings. “We need to support the men and women who keep our facilities secure instead of tying their hands.”
Lawmakers say the issue goes beyond prison walls, arguing that safe, well-staffed facilities are essential to protecting both inmates and the public.