New York prison staff still impacted by HALT Act controversy

More than a year after thousands of New York State corrections officers walked off the job in protest of the HALT Act, staffing issues continue to plague correctional facilities statewide.A state of emergency remains in effect across New York to address that ongoing staffing shortage.Fourteen months ago, corrections officers across the state went on strike without authorization from the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, or DOCCS. Those officers argued they were protesting the HALT Act. The HALT Act is a law that limits the use of solitary confinement as a punishment in New York’s prison system by putting a cap on the amount of time an incarcerated person can spend in solitary confinement. The act also creates age limits and exemptions for “vulnerable populations.”Prison staff claim the law has made these facilities unsafe not just for the staff, but also for the incarcerated people.Those who went on strike were fired, and members of the National Guard had to be deployed to fill some of the gaps in many prisons.There has also been a trickle-down effect in our local county jails, including Clinton County Correctional Facility and Essex County Jail.As a part of the agreement to end the corrections officer strike in February of 2025, Gov. Kathy Hochul agreed to conduct a $9 million report and an outside review of the corrections system across New York.Prior to fully reinstating the act, Commissioner Daniel Martuscello said the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision would evaluate the issues with HALT on a “facility by facility” basis.”I think in order for you to engage and appropriately measure the effectiveness of something, you have to first try to put it in motion. They have not done that completely,” said Victor Pate from the New York Campaign for Alternatives to Isolated Confinement. Pate said as a former incarcerated individual, HALT is not only necessary, but that these protections are a right.New York Sen. Dan Stec said he thinks HALT should be repealed. He believes support for incarcerated individuals is important, but priorities are still in the wrong places in Albany. “I’d rather focus on the taxpayer, the victims of crime and the general public,” Stec said. Stec said safety in prisons starts with protecting staff.”Hey, you know what this is? This is incarceration. It’s not fun,” he said. “These facilities are not safe. They’re not safe for the inmates. They’re not safe for the employees. I’ve been saying for years, officer safety is inmate safety.”Across New York State, there were 516 interpersonal fights in state prisons and 68 assaults on staff in January of 2026, according to the Department of Corrections.The number of incarcerated individuals with serious mental illness has increased from 0.2% to 23% since 2023. Stec and Pate both agree that this ultimately falls in the governor’s lap. “Every 30 days, Gov. Hochul signs that emergency declaration for corrections, and the National Guard is still in there,” Stec said. “So that tells me that they don’t have an end in sight or they don’t see a change coming, which is very frustrating to me.”In a statement from DOCCS, officials said that the commissioned report is expected to be completed “in the near future.”A statement from the Hochul office said, “Gov. Hochul has been clear that the safety of all staff and incarcerated individuals is a top priority. Gov. Hochul respects the extraordinary work of New York’s Correction Officers and civilian staff and will continue to bolster efforts to protect the safety and well-being of every individual within our state prisons.”

NEW YORK —

More than a year after thousands of New York State corrections officers walked off the job in protest of the HALT Act, staffing issues continue to plague correctional facilities statewide.

A state of emergency remains in effect across New York to address that ongoing staffing shortage.

Fourteen months ago, corrections officers across the state went on strike without authorization from the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, or DOCCS. Those officers argued they were protesting the HALT Act.

The HALT Act is a law that limits the use of solitary confinement as a punishment in New York’s prison system by putting a cap on the amount of time an incarcerated person can spend in solitary confinement. The act also creates age limits and exemptions for “vulnerable populations.”

Prison staff claim the law has made these facilities unsafe not just for the staff, but also for the incarcerated people.

Those who went on strike were fired, and members of the National Guard had to be deployed to fill some of the gaps in many prisons.

There has also been a trickle-down effect in our local county jails, including Clinton County Correctional Facility and Essex County Jail.

As a part of the agreement to end the corrections officer strike in February of 2025, Gov. Kathy Hochul agreed to conduct a $9 million report and an outside review of the corrections system across New York.

Prior to fully reinstating the act, Commissioner Daniel Martuscello said the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision would evaluate the issues with HALT on a “facility by facility” basis.

“I think in order for you to engage and appropriately measure the effectiveness of something, you have to first try to put it in motion. They have not done that completely,” said Victor Pate from the New York Campaign for Alternatives to Isolated Confinement.

Pate said as a former incarcerated individual, HALT is not only necessary, but that these protections are a right.

New York Sen. Dan Stec said he thinks HALT should be repealed. He believes support for incarcerated individuals is important, but priorities are still in the wrong places in Albany.

“I’d rather focus on the taxpayer, the victims of crime and the general public,” Stec said.

Stec said safety in prisons starts with protecting staff.

“Hey, you know what this is? This is incarceration. It’s not fun,” he said. “These facilities are not safe. They’re not safe for the inmates. They’re not safe for the employees. I’ve been saying for years, officer safety is inmate safety.”

Across New York State, there were 516 interpersonal fights in state prisons and 68 assaults on staff in January of 2026, according to the Department of Corrections.

The number of incarcerated individuals with serious mental illness has increased from 0.2% to 23% since 2023.

Stec and Pate both agree that this ultimately falls in the governor’s lap.

“Every 30 days, Gov. Hochul signs that emergency declaration for corrections, and the National Guard is still in there,” Stec said. “So that tells me that they don’t have an end in sight or they don’t see a change coming, which is very frustrating to me.”

In a statement from DOCCS, officials said that the commissioned report is expected to be completed “in the near future.”

A statement from the Hochul office said, “Gov. Hochul has been clear that the safety of all staff and incarcerated individuals is a top priority. Gov. Hochul respects the extraordinary work of New York’s Correction Officers and civilian staff and will continue to bolster efforts to protect the safety and well-being of every individual within our state prisons.”