New York Governor Releases Budget Seeking Five Prison Closures

New York Governor Kathy Hochul recently released a $233 billion budget proposal for the 2025 fiscal year, with a series of investments and policy changes that would address impending budget deficits. Included in that budget proposal is a plan to close up to five New York state prisons over the course of the next year.

Acting DOCCS Commissioner Daniel Martuscello testified at a budget hearing last week that the department has 3,800 vacant positions, including 1,900 corrections officers. The inability to fill those positions isn't the only factor, as Martuscello noted the incarcerated population has decreased by nearly 55% over a 25-year period, but he described the staffing woes as "the main impetus" for potentially closing more prisons.

"We are in a good position with excess capacity," Martuscello said. "We have 6,000 staffed vacant beds and an additional 6,000 beds which we've consolidated to try to alleviate staffing concerns. We can't consolidate any more, so closures is a way forward so we can make sure we use our staff more efficiently as well as provide the services to the population." 

DOCCS has not identified which of the 44 state prisons could be closed. Martuscello did not provide any information during the budget hearing about the correctional facilities eyed for closures. The state has closed 24 correctional facilities and eliminated more than 13,000 prison beds since 2011, according to DOCCS. 

Despite opposition from the correctional officers union and some legislators, the state received support for the prison closure proposal from an independent watchdog. The Correctional Association of New York endorsed the budget proposal in its testimony. The organization, which is authorized to provide oversight of state prisons, has observed staffing shortages during monitoring visits to several correctional facilities. One example provided was Sullivan Correctional Facility, where more than half of the medical services positions were vacant.

Jose Saldana, Director of the Release Aging People in Prison (RAPP Campaign) organization based in New York, spoke out against lawmakers who oppose the prison closures based concerns over lost job opportunities for prison staff. "We are well aware that many prison-adjacent communities across the state shamelessly depend on mass incarceration for jobs and related economic activity. Our bodies are not your cash crop. Still, we care about all people and, in that spirit, we must say: your lawmakers are failing you, if all they are doing is fecklessly complaining about prison closures."

"All New Yorkers should demand their elected representatives deliver good jobs, innovation and opportunity that does not depend on continuing the legacy of slavery.”