Prison closures going forward as planned, despite lawmaker opposition
Kelly Fay
The Commissioner of the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision indicated last week four controversial prison closures will go forth as announced. Despite heated opposition from several lawmakers and correctional professionals, the agency intends to carry out the closures by July 26 of this year.
In late July of last year, DOCCS announced the closure of four correctional facilities; Monterey Shock in Schuyler County; Butler in Wayne County; Chateagay in Franklin County and Mt. McGregor in Saratoga County. Boasting a 13 percent reduction in crime rate over the past ten years, the agency indicated there is no longer a need to keep the prisons open and said the restructuring would save the state $30 million in taxpayer money.
"As the inmate population has continued to decline, prisons that are no longer needed can close," DOCCS Commissioner Anthony Annucci said. "By pursuing policies that are tough, smart and fair, we can maintain or improve public safety on the outside, so there is less need to put offenders on the inside, delivering great savings to New York."
Annucci recommended the closure of the four facilities as a component of "rightsizing" the state's prison system. The announcement last summer provoked outrage among several lawmakers, who say the administration bypassed the Legislature on an important decision affecting their constituencies.
http://www.legislativegazette.com/Articles-Top-Stories-c-2014-02-10-86735.113122-Prison-closures-going-forward-as-planned-despite-lawmaker-opposition.html