The Correctional Association of New York has issued a sweeping set of recommendations aimed at improving safety, institutional culture, and living conditions within New York’s Department of Corrections and Community Supervision facilities. The January 2025 report calls for significant changes following a series of incidents, including the October 2024 fatal assault of Robert Brooks at Marcy Correctional Facility.
CANY, authorized by state law to independently monitor prison conditions, based its recommendations on data from 19 monitoring visits, over 1,000 interviews with incarcerated individuals, hundreds of communications from families and advocates, and extensive engagement with stakeholders. Among the top priorities are systemic reforms to address what the organization describes as a culture of “violence, contempt, and neglect” in correctional facilities.
Key proposals include the expansion of camera systems to enhance transparency and accountability, the overhaul of grievance processes, and partnerships with external organizations to foster cultural change. Specific legislative successes tied to CANY’s past advocacy—such as a law requiring mitigation of extreme heat in prisons—highlight the impact of its recommendations.
CANY Executive Director called for immediate action: “The tragedy of Robert Brooks must not be in vain. New York’s prisons need transformation, not just reform.”
Other recommendations focus on improving staff training and wellness, modernizing record-keeping, and enhancing access to educational and therapeutic programs. The organization also emphasized the need for greater public transparency, urging DOCCS to publish detailed reports on grievances, deaths in custody, and capital plans.
Governor Kathy Hochul recently signaled her administration’s commitment to addressing prison violence and systemic issues in response to CANY’s findings. However, the organization stressed that meaningful progress will require collaboration across government agencies, advocates, and communities.
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