Prison Guards Want More Money from Cuomo

State Prisons have been asking Governor Cuomo to consider adding more funding from the state budget to state prison facilities. Over the past years, prison violence has been on the increase, which endangers our prison guards significantly. The union that represents New York’s 54 correctional facilities has started a campaign to raise awareness on the uprising issue.

They have started fund raising for a radio ad that is aimed at the state to help provide additional funding for officer safety within state prisons. The ad is a 60 second radio recording that states facts about increasing drug and violence in prisons lead to more fights between inmates.

Governor Cuomo’s budget at this time includes around $3 million set aside to fund New York’s States Department of Corrections. The $3 million set aside for New York’s correctional facilities is a 1.4 percent increase from the 2014-2015 budget.

http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/State-prison-guards-seek-more-funding-as-6151861.php

Inmate population has decreased since 2011, when Cuomo took office. Through various justice reforms, he has been able to close more prisons and decrease the inmate population, which is at an all time low in state history.  13 correctional facilities closed, over 5,500 beds reduced all over the past four years.

With the closing of prisons, it still means some inmates are just moved across the state, which could cause over crowding in others. Over crowding in prisons is a ticking time bomb for riots or other fights. Prison guard assaults are at an all time high with drug activity increasing in prisons.

Just in the past month, a female prison officer was attacked in Rikers Island Correctional Facility and nearly raped by an inmate. With the lack of officers on duty the response by other officers was slow to her rescue. Luckily, a group prison inmates who had witnessed the attack jumped in to save the guard until more correctional officers were able to get to the attack. 

Unfortunately attacks like this happen everyday across the state. Attacks like these scare officers and prevent them from a safe work environment. More money from Cuomo’s budget is needed to help fund more officers on duty, not just keep the prisons under control, but to keep each other safe as well. correctional officers need more resources, and improvements in technology to help fight against prison violence and attacks on prison guards.