ALBANY, New York (WWNY) – A long-awaited independent report analyzing the culture, operations and safety of New York’s state correctional system is out — and local lawmakers and union representatives are weighing in.
The 300-page report was requested by the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision after inmates Robert Brooks and Messiah Nantwi died in custody.
The report says those deaths demonstrated systemic shortcomings in oversight, accountability and culture within the prison system.
What the report found
The review focused on Marcy and Mid-State Correctional Facilities, along with Sing Sing and Gouverneur, where leadership, staff and inmates were interviewed.
Among the findings: employee morale is low, staff training is inadequate, record-keeping is antiquated, and both employees and inmates feel unsafe.
A separate, shorter report lists 20 additional recommendations. Together, the two reports offer 77 recommendations for improvement.
Republican Assemblyman Scott Gray of the 116th District said the review was needed.
“It is well overdue that we had an independent set of eyes reviewing our entire system,” Gray said. “Hopefully it resolves some of the issues, or at least points us in the direction that there’s resolution to what the issues are.”
Union: HALT Act contributing to unsafe conditions
Bryan Hluska, Central Region Vice President of NYSCOPBA, represents staff at three of the four facilities reviewed. He said findings did not surprise him.
“Morale is low. The staffing numbers are down, vacations are not able to be taken at all of our facilities, personal time is limited or none,” Hluska said.
Hluska said the feeling of fear among staff and inmates is tied to the HALT Act, which limits the use of isolated confinement.
“Your average inmate wants to go, do his time, do his programs, and get released from prison,” Hluska said. “You have, and I’ll call it the 10 percent. They don’t behave, and there’s no deterring anymore because of HALT, so now they’re allowed to prey and extort and create other problems for these inmates that just want to do their time, but they’re forced to join the madness.”
State response and union skepticism
The state said it has already implemented some of the recommendations, with more changes coming. The state also noted that cases of excessive use of force, contraband, assaults on staff and inmate-on-inmate violence are all down in 2025 compared to 2024.
The union, however, questions whether those numbers are accurate. Hluska pointed to last winter’s wildcat strikes as a factor that may have artificially reduced reported incidents.
“That time frame is when the strike happened, and there was very limited to no movement and visits at the time, so there was less opportunity for those things to happen,” Hluska said. “Let’s wait and see moving forward if that trend continues.”
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