Governor Kathy Hochul took action on Wednesday by signing an executive order to deploy National Guard service members to New York state prisons where corrections officers are engaged in unauthorized strikes. The governor’s executive order aims to ensure “public order and protection of public property” within the facilities, while also providing overtime pay for corrections officers who continue to work. Additionally, the order directs the state corrections department to enlist an independent mediator to assist in resolving the strike.
Hochul expressed concern over the safety risks posed by the unsanctioned work stoppages by some corrections officers, stating that these actions are endangering the well-being of their colleagues, the prison population, and causing fear in surrounding communities. More than 3,500 National Guard members reported for duty to assess the situation before a larger deployment is considered. The service members are tasked with maintaining order in the prisons, as well as distributing meals and medication to the inmates.
The walkouts and protests by corrections officers, which began on Monday due to concerns over staffing shortages and dangerous conditions, have affected at least a dozen prisons. The officers’ union, the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association, emphasized that the actions taken were unsanctioned as union leadership continues negotiations with the governor’s office and the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.
Governor Hochul warned that if the situation is not resolved promptly, she will escalate the National Guard deployment to secure the affected facilities. While the union has not responded directly to the governor’s decision, they have previously highlighted discontentment with current working conditions, including the need for enhanced safety measures and staffing.
State Corrections Commissioner Daniel Martuscello urged corrections officers to return to work, emphasizing the importance of dialogue and collaboration to address concerns and enhance safety measures. Hochul’s utilization of the National Guard to resolve such disputes is not without precedent, as similar actions were taken in the past to maintain public safety and order in critical situations.
In state-run prisons across the country, chronic staffing shortages have created challenges for both employees and inmates. Workers argue that recent laws aimed at reducing the use of punitive segregation have compromised their safety. However, advocates for prisoners maintain that safety concerns extend to the inmate population as well. This was tragically illustrated by the December death of Robert Brooks, a handcuffed prisoner who was fatally beaten after being transferred to Marcy Correctional Facility in Oneida County.
The disturbing incident was captured on officers’ bodycam footage, revealing that Brooks, aged 43, succumbed to neck compression and multiple blunt force injuries. Subsequently, seventeen employees, including corrections officers and nurses, faced suspensions without pay or chose to resign. In response to the incident, state corrections officials implemented institutional changes, such as broadening the utilization of body cameras. The officers’ union condemned the appalling act of violence as “incomprehensible.”
In light of the severity of the situation, a special prosecutor was appointed to investigate potential criminal charges, with the possibility of an indictment being unsealed imminently. Jerome Wright, co-director of the HALT Solitary Campaign, which advocates for the cessation of solitary confinement in correctional facilities, characterized the current state of affairs within the state’s prisons as a “powder keg.” Inmates have voiced grievances about their treatment by staff, restrictions on visitation, and the prevalence of restrictive housing.
The history of unrest within New York’s correctional institutions dates back over half a century to the notorious Attica Correctional Facility in Wyoming County. Notably, Attica was the site of one of the deadliest prison uprisings in U.S. history, prompted by deplorable living conditions and inadequate sanitation facilities. Expressing concern about the potential for history to repeat itself, Wright warned, “How many warnings will officials disregard before the powder keg ignites? No one wishes to witness a replay of the horrors and tragedies of Attica 2.0.”
