New York correction officer strike endangers inmates statewide
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from Freedom Road Socialist Organization NYC.
After a 22-day strike of correction officers across New York State, prison conditions are worsening statewide. The strike began due to the Humane Alternatives to Long-Term Solitary Confinement Act, known as the HALT Act for short, which limits the amount of time prisoners can be subjected to solitary confinement.
A cruel and inhumane punishment, solitary confinement deprives people in prison from normal social interaction and has been proven to have many adverse health effects, both physical and mental. The HALT Act was initially passed in the State legislature to bring New York’s prison conditions out of what the United Nations considers to be torture — solitary confinement used for periods longer than 15 days. The law also limits the use of solitary confinement against vulnerable populations, including very young or elderly people and people with certain disabilities.
New York correction officers, though, have displayed little empathy for the people in their care. They predominantly view solitary confinement as a necessary tool against “misbehavior” by incarcerated people. With this tool removed from their toolkit, they were unwilling to find other solutions to disciplinary issues within prisons, instead going on strike in the thousands for the longest period of time in decades. This strike wasn’t a labor dispute — it was a reactionary attempt to reverse common-sense reforms that aim to make the state’s prisons more humane.
The resulting shortage in staffing led directly to the deaths of at least seven inmates, as well as the deployment of thousands of National Guard troops to fill vacant positions. And ultimately, when the strike ended on March 17th, the state capitulated to the correction officers’ demands — the HALT Act has been suspended for up to 90 days, with a possibility of going on for longer, allowing solitary confinement to be used more liberally and against more vulnerable people.
Opponents of this move have correctly pointed out that the HALT Act’s suspension is illegal; the state legislature passed this law with a veto-proof majority, and the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision doesn’t have the power to override that decision. However, the state has bent over backwards to cater to the correction officers, rather than put in any effort to treat inmates with basic respect and humanity.
Even with the concessions, 2,000 prison employees refused to return to work, resulting in their termination from state employment. With lower staffing levels combined with the return of solitary confinement, living conditions will continue to worsen in prisons, as low staffing has led to delays in timely meals, medical care, and other necessities.
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