ALBANY, N.Y. (WCAX) – Corrections officials in New York are pulling back on a proposal for a new state prison.
In July, the Department of Corrections put out a request to study whether, and where, New York should build a new 3,000-bed state prison. But officials tell WCAX that plan is now sidelined.
It comes amid ongoing staffing and safety issues inside New York prisons, and a number of closed-down, now-abandoned facilities across the state.
State Senator Dan Stec, R-N.Y., 45th District, says he doesn’t believe the state has the money for a new prison. “Talk to the union leaders, talk to the rank and file members, they will tell you what needs to be done. But I am not sure that spending a billion dollars that the state of New York doesn’t have to build a new prison when they have closed a dozen prisons around the state the last few years is a good idea,” Stec said.
A DOCCS spokesperson said they pulled the request to “further refine the scope and strategic focus of this initiative” and that they plan to release a new study request at an undisclosed date.
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