By Robert Harding
The Citizen, Auburn, N.Y.
ALBANY, N.Y. — New York will begin granting early release to certain inmates due to a staffing crisis exacerbated by the recent strike and the firing of 2,000 correction officers.
Daniel Martuscello III, commissioner of the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, sent a memo to prison superintendents asking them to compile a list of inmates who are eligible for early release.
Martuscello informed the superintendents that he is exercising his authority under state correction law in response to the staffing crisis and “in order to have the appropriate balance between the safety and well-being of those working and residing in DOCCS correctional facilities and public safety.”
In a statement, DOCCS confirmed Martuscello’s directive and explained the potential early release of inmates. The list of inmates will be reviewed “for their transition into residential treatment,” according to the department.
“Incarcerated individuals are not eligible for the program if they have been convicted of sex crimes, violent felonies or more serious felonies like murder, terrorism and arson,” a DOCCS spokesperson said. “Participating individuals must also have an approved residence, which is not a shelter or ( Department of Social Services ) placement.”
New York prisons were already facing a significant staffing shortage before the three-week strike that ran from Feb. 17 to March 10 . In 2024, Martuscello testified at a budget hearing that Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposal to close up to five state prisons was due to a “staffing crisis.” At that time, he reported there were 3,800 vacant positions in the department, including 1,900 correction officers.
The Hochul administration expedited the closure of two maximum-security prisons, Great Meadow and Sullivan, last year.
A review of DOCCS data found that correction officer staffing levels were mostly flat until 2020, when there was a decrease of 500 positions. The number of correction officers dropped by roughly 1,000 each year, from 18,541 in 2020 to 14,095 in 2024.
As of March 1, DOCCS had 13,886 lieutenants, sergeants and correction officers. But that count preceded the resignations and terminations due to the strike. While the state fired 2,000 correction officers for participating in the walkout, an unknown number of officers resigned.
Issues stemming from the staffing shortage were a driving force behind the strike. Although officers are concerned about prison violence, they also criticized DOCCS’ usage of mandatory overtime. Many officers were forced to work 24-hour overtime shifts amid the staffing crisis.
When the strike ended, DOCCS committed to an aggressive recruitment campaign to hire more officers. The agency is providing up to $3,000 in referral bonuses for employees who recruit new officers.
“I want you to know that I heard you,” Martuscello said on March 10. “Your safety, your family, your work-life balance are important to me and I’m committed to continue listening to your voices as we move forward. It is time to turn the page.”
But the recruitment campaign is a long-term project to bolster the prison workforce. For now, the National Guard remains at several prisons to provide additional security. Hochul activated the National Guard during the strike.
A spokesperson for Hochul said the governor’s top priority is “the safety and well-being of all New Yorkers.” They added, “The governor is aware of Commissioner Martuscello’s memo and supports his efforts to safely address staffing shortages and personnel concerns.”
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