WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) – A promised safety report on New York state prisons is nearly a year late.
“Where is the sense of urgency?” said state Sen. Dan Stec, R-45th District.
It has been 15 months since corrections officers were standing in front of state prisons on strike.
“They left the strike at the end because they were promised by the governor there would be significant reviews and improvements to the safety concerns that drove them to the strike,” Stec said.
The state hired WilmerHale in March 2025 through a $9.3 million contract to do that review. The report was initially scheduled to be released by last summer.
In the meantime, Stec said there have been instances of exposures, contraband and violence.
“The last couple of months, there were three inmate murders on other inmates that have occurred in northern New York prisons,” Stec said.
Assemblyman Scott Gray tells 7News the contract with WilmerHale extends until the end of 2026, so the report could be released by the end of this year.
“It is my understanding reading into this that the report should be expected if not by the end of this summer, then by the end of this year.”
National Guard deployment continues
Stec said around 2,500 National Guard members continue to work in state prisons. It is part of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s state of emergency, signed in February 2025.
That state of emergency continues, with the latest signed at the end of April.
“In the governor’s proposed budget, that is still being negotiated and is still late, she has put in $535 million more to keep the National Guard there,” Stec said.
Also sparking the prison review were the deaths of two inmates at the hands of corrections officers at both Marcy and Mid-State Correctional Facilities near Rome.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision said WilmerHale’s findings and recommendations are expected to be made public soon.
The department will review the recommendations and determine a path forward for implementation.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Governor tells 7News “Governor Hochul has been clear that the safety of all staff and incarcerated individuals is a top priority, which is why she has implemented fundamental, systemwide changes to ensure the State’s correction system prioritizes safety, accountability and transparency. We anticipate the release of the report in the near future and will thoroughly review all recommendations to continue enhancing safety across all DOCCS facilities.”
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