Solidarity
The recent strike by NYS Corrections Officers (CO’s) highlights the complete and total disregard Governor Hochul and politicians in Albany have for the safety of all New Yorkers, which includes CO’s and prison inmates (this author refuses to use the politically correct “incarcerated individuals” that is the current woke weasel word that liberal politicians claim better represents those behind bars). Let’s examine the situation.
In March of 2021 the Humane Alternatives to Long-Term Solitary Confinement or HALT Act was passed in NYS. This placed limits on solitary confinement on inmates as punishment for misbehavior (misbehavior being violent assaults on CO’s, civilian employees, or other inmates). So-called alternative “therapeutic and rehabilitative” (more woke weasel words) measures were supposed to be instituted instead.
What happened afterwards is pretty obvious to anyone with two or more braincells to rub together. Violent inmates realized that there were no more consequences for bad behavior. Assaults rose throughout NYS prisons with many CO’s and other prison employees were becoming seriously injured. As was seen in the broader law enforcement community following the George Floyd riots or “mostly peaceful protests” (woke weasel words yet again!) depending on your political persuasion and calls for defunding the police, many CO’s who were eligible to retire did and even some who weren’t called it quits. This resulted in severe staffing shortages and caused CO’s to work multiple back-to-back shifts. This forced overtime was often unannounced by prison officials. CO’s were not allowed to call their families which created very real hardships for childcare and other family and community responsibilities not to mention the worry from family members on whether their loved ones were alive or dead. Stories of CO’s of sleeping on the floor of break rooms with no food or water for over 16 or more hours proliferated. Governor Hochul also closed several prisons (including Sullivan Correctional Facility – a Maximum-Security Prison) and moved inmates to other facilities, creating overcrowded conditions. Being short staffed and worked to exhaustion, prison employees were not able to intercept all the contraband entering their facilities and drug use among inmates (already a problem) became rampant. Many instances occurred where CO’s needed Narcan applied to them because they entered cells where inmates were actively using fentanyl.
Meanwhile, inmates are issued tablet computers, TV and recreation time, including time outside in the yard, and are allowed visitation rights from their families (who more often than not smuggle drugs into the facilities). As mentioned above, serious violent encounters have no consequences. This includes attacks with shanks, razor blades, and throwing urine and feces on staff and other inmates. It also includes exposing CO’s and other prison staff to dangerous narcotics, which have the potential to result in long-term medical disability. In short, the inmates are truly running the asylum.
What does Kathy Hochul and the politicians in Albany do? Literally nothing. When concerns about increased use of Narcan among CO’s who are exposed to smuggled fentanyl were brought to her attention she replied that it was impossible and that the CO’s must have been stressed or been suffering with mental health issues. When told that the current 30% reduction in staff was insufficient to deal with the increasing issues she replied that the 30% reduction was the new normal and that the Department of Corrections would have to make due with remaining 70% of the work force doing 100% of the tasks. Her and other liberal political basically stated that if the CO’s didn’t like it, they could find another job.
With no other recourse after years of bringing their concerns to deaf ears in Albany, the CO’s have instituted a wildcat strike (a strike not authorized by their union). In the midst of all this, the NY National Guard was called in, essentially to act as scabs. Reports are they took one look at the situation in the prisons and said, “to hell with this” and left the scene.
The broader issue of Prison Reform is a topic that has value and should be discussed. Also, not all CO’s are angels. The recent death of inmate Robert Brooks in Marcy Correctional Facility at the hands of several CO’s (all caught on camera) shows this. However, let us not forget that the vast majority of folks behind bars are there for a reason. Gone are the days of the Rockefeller Drug laws. No one is being given a long-term prison sentence for smoking a joint. Violent crimes like armed robbery, home invasion, assault, rape, and murder are what fill our prisons. Many, if not most of these men have rap sheets a mile long and cannot be rehabilitated. And make no mistake, each and every one of them was found guilty by a jury of their peers after going through a lengthy criminal justice process (exceptions being if they accepted a plea bargain or were adjudicated mentally unfit to stand trial).
Far too many people have a view of inmates as depicted in The Shawshank Redemption or The Green Mile. The reality is closer to Oz or the prison scenes in Sons of Anarchy. The calls on the left for restorative or rehabilitative justice are nothing but a fool’s errand and yet more woke weasel words for a complete and utter contempt for law and order, which any civilized society requires.
A functioning society requires each person to have a right to life, liberty, and property. Law enforcement in the form of the police is there to protect those rights. Those who violate those rights are put under lock and key and supervised for the length of their sentence by the other arm of law enforcement, CO’s. Both jobs should require the highest standards with no place for bad apples. But make no mistake, both are sorely needed for without them a functioning society collapses and we descend into something similar to The Purge.
This author stands in proud solidarity with our NYS Corrections Officers. As Ben Franklin was quoted as saying at the start of the American Revolution, “We must all hang together, or else we shall all hang separately.”
Cato Cincinnatus
Contributor
Sullivan’s Legacy
