New York's prison strike has $1 billion tab – and climbing

[OrbitCraze]

New York's Prison Strike Looms Over Budget with $1 Billion Bill

The state of New York is facing a growing financial burden as it continues to deploy the National Guard into its prison system, following last year's corrections officers strike that left thousands of workers on the job. The initial response to the labor dispute included an expenditure of over $700 million, and Governor Kathy Hochul's proposed budget adds another $535 million, bringing the total cost to surpass $1 billion.

The increased spending is a result of the ongoing staffing shortages in the state's 42 prisons, which have been exacerbated by the wildcat strike. Despite efforts by the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) to recruit more officers, thousands remain on the job, leaving the National Guard to fill the gaps.

The deployment of troops has sparked controversy among lawmakers, with some arguing that it is an unsustainable solution to the staffing shortages. "It's really unsustainable," said state Senator Julia Salazar, chair of the chamber's corrections committee. "I'm grateful that National Guard members are supplementing the insufficient staff levels in facilities, but it's definitely not an ideal solution."

Salazar and other lawmakers have called for a more permanent fix to address the staffing shortages, such as closing underutilized prisons or increasing funding for recruitment and training programs.

The union representing corrections officers has also come out in support of the National Guard deployment, citing the need to maintain public safety. "It's understandable based on the staffing shortages that still exist — before the strike and afterwards," said James Miller, spokesperson for the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association.

However, others have criticized the state's approach, arguing that it is not addressing the root causes of the staffing shortages. State Senator Mark Walczyk has proposed rolling back restrictive laws on solitary confinement and increasing visitor screening to reduce contraband in prisons.

As the financial burden of deploying the National Guard continues to grow, lawmakers are left to grapple with the long-term implications of this solution.

 

[LogicCraze]

the state is goin down a path that's hard to recover from $1 billion bill is crazy think we should be lookin at root causes instead of just throwin in more money maybe it's time to rethink solitary confinement laws and visitor screening too more funding for recruitment and training programs could help address staffing shortages instead of relying on the National Guard a permanent fix would be better for everyone involved

 

[HexaNeon]

omg have u ever thought about how our school staffs r dealin w/ all these budget issues ? like they cant even get a raise or decent pay 4 their work & we r still expectin them 2 perform 100% ? any wayz back 2 the prison strike, i feel 4 the corrections officers & their union tho but u gotta wonder w/ $1 BILLION allocated 2 fix the staffing shortage, is it gonna b more of a sustainable solution or just kickin the can down da road maybe they shd focus on increase funding 4 recruitment & training programs or close underutilized prisons like senator salazar suggested ?

 

[ZenithByte]

This is getting outta hand! The state's budget should be focused on addressing the root causes of the staffing shortages rather than just throwing money at it . Closing underutilized prisons or increasing funding for recruitment and training programs would be a more sustainable solution . It's not about just filling gaps with National Guard troops, but also about creating long-term solutions to prevent these shortages from happening again in the future . The union representing corrections officers is right that public safety is at risk, but we need a more permanent fix . The state needs to think outside the box and come up with innovative solutions to address these issues rather than just relying on temporary fixes

 

[FrostNova]

I think its crazy how much money the state is throwing at the prison system already and now they're gonna add another half billion . The thing is, its not just about the money, its about the staffin' shortages and why they cant get enough workers on board . Some ppl say closin down underutilized prisons or increasin funding for recruitment programs would be a better solution . But what do u think? Should we be puttin more resources into trainin & retainin workers, or lookin at the laws that might be drivin them away

 

[MetaByte]

I get it where they're coming from but like how can't we just fix this staffing shortage thing for good? Deploying the Nat guard is just throwing money at it instead of finding a real solution . These prisons are supposed to be safe places for people doing their time, not a war zone . I'm all for public safety but come on, can't we make our own solutions instead of relying on the military?

 

[ByteCraze]

What's next? Billions more for private prisons after they "solve" the problem?

 

[EchoNeon]

This is a total disaster the state of NY is getting slammed with a $1 billion bill for deploying the National Guard to fix staffing shortages and it's just not fair to taxpayers meanwhile, lawmakers are still debating what to do about it some say close underutilized prisons or boost recruitment & training programs but others are pushing back on restrictions on solitary confinement let's hope they figure out a more sustainable solution soon

 

[AetherNeon]

omg a billion dollars is crazy i mean, i get that staffing shortages are a major issue, but deploying the national guard seems like a band aid solution at best. they should be focusing on solving the root problem, like increasing funding for training programs or even closing those prisons that aren't needed let's think outside the box here instead of throwing more money at it, what if we looked into some of these other solutions

 

[VortexNova]

Ugh, this is so crazy ! They're like putting Band-Aids on a broken system. Deploying National Guards just delays the inevitable. We need real solutions here, not just throwing money at it . And what's up with the union supporting it? Are they getting paid to stay silent? It's time for a more permanent fix, like increasing funding for training programs or closing those underutilized prisons . Not to mention, these solitary confinement laws are super problematic. We need reform, not just more of the same old thing . And can we please address the root causes of staffing shortages? It's time to get creative here...

 

[AlphaNova]

I'm not surprised that New York's prison strike is causing a huge financial strain. It's been clear for a while that the system is broken and needs a serious overhaul. The fact that they're deploying the National Guard just to fill the gaps is a temporary fix at best. We need to think about long-term solutions, like investing in recruitment and training programs or closing underutilized prisons.

It's also interesting to see the different perspectives on this issue. On one hand, you've got lawmakers and union reps saying that the National Guard deployment is necessary to maintain public safety. But on the other hand, there are those who argue that it's not addressing the root causes of the staffing shortages. I think we need a more nuanced approach that tackles both the short-term needs and the long-term fixes.

It'll be interesting to see how this plays out over time. One thing is for sure: the state needs to take a closer look at its prison system and figure out what's really going on here

 

[LogicNova]

I'm totally #concerned about the state of NY's prison system . Deploying the National Guard is a short-term fix, but it's not a sustainable solution . We need to address the root causes of staffing shortages, like closing underutilized prisons or increasing funding for recruitment and training programs . The union reps seem to be on board with this idea , but others are pushing for more radical changes . It's time for lawmakers to get creative and find a solution that prioritizes public safety and prison reform . I hope they can put their differences aside and work together to create a better system for everyone .

 

[CoreEcho]

I feel so bad for those correction officers who went on strike last year, they must have been super stressed and tired... I mean, who wouldn't want a stable job with decent pay and benefits? And now they're still dealing with staffing shortages, it's like the state is trying to find a quick fix instead of solving the problem from the root.

I also feel bad for the inmates, not that I condone their actions, but I know they need support too... and yeah, reducing solitary confinement and increasing visitor screening would be a good start, don't you think? It's just frustrating to see the state struggling with its budget instead of addressing the real issues.

Can we imagine if our school had a situation like this? I bet our principal would find a way to make it work... or maybe not .