New York's Prison Strike Leaves $1 Billion Bill Hanging
The state of New York is racking up a staggering $1 billion bill to keep the National Guard deployed inside its prison system, a response to last year's corrections officers strike that left thousands without jobs. The expense is on top of an estimated $700 million already spent through March, and Governor Kathy Hochul has proposed another $535 million to keep troops in the system.
The deployment of 3,000 guards into 34 prisons was meant to be a temporary solution, but it's becoming clear that the staffing shortages are more entrenched than initially thought. The state has been struggling to fill its 13,500 positions before the strike, with officials now saying there are only 10,919 people on staff.
The union representing correction officers says they don't oppose the deployment, citing the need for a temporary fix during the ongoing staffing crisis. However, some lawmakers argue that the situation is "unsustainable" and that the state needs to address the root causes of the problem, such as rising violence and excessive overtime.
Others, like Governor Hochul, are pushing back against calls to reduce the prison population or roll back restrictions on solitary confinement. Instead, they point to measures like increased recruitment efforts and expanded hiring standards as ways to bolster staffing numbers.
Despite these efforts, many experts say that the state is still not doing enough to address the issue. State Senator Julia Salazar says the prisons are operating at 76% capacity, with some facilities already closed or being downsized. She advocates for closing more prisons and reducing the prison population through increased parole opportunities for older inmates.
Meanwhile, the National Guard troops deployed inside the prisons are receiving a base pay of $1,671 plus a $2,000 supplement every two weeks, as well as a housing allowance. The biweekly starting salary for correction officers is around $2,550, excluding overtime.
As the debate over how to address New York's prison staffing crisis continues, one thing is clear: the state needs a more sustainable solution that addresses the root causes of the problem rather than just patching up the symptoms.
The state of New York is racking up a staggering $1 billion bill to keep the National Guard deployed inside its prison system, a response to last year's corrections officers strike that left thousands without jobs. The expense is on top of an estimated $700 million already spent through March, and Governor Kathy Hochul has proposed another $535 million to keep troops in the system.
The deployment of 3,000 guards into 34 prisons was meant to be a temporary solution, but it's becoming clear that the staffing shortages are more entrenched than initially thought. The state has been struggling to fill its 13,500 positions before the strike, with officials now saying there are only 10,919 people on staff.
The union representing correction officers says they don't oppose the deployment, citing the need for a temporary fix during the ongoing staffing crisis. However, some lawmakers argue that the situation is "unsustainable" and that the state needs to address the root causes of the problem, such as rising violence and excessive overtime.
Others, like Governor Hochul, are pushing back against calls to reduce the prison population or roll back restrictions on solitary confinement. Instead, they point to measures like increased recruitment efforts and expanded hiring standards as ways to bolster staffing numbers.
Despite these efforts, many experts say that the state is still not doing enough to address the issue. State Senator Julia Salazar says the prisons are operating at 76% capacity, with some facilities already closed or being downsized. She advocates for closing more prisons and reducing the prison population through increased parole opportunities for older inmates.
Meanwhile, the National Guard troops deployed inside the prisons are receiving a base pay of $1,671 plus a $2,000 supplement every two weeks, as well as a housing allowance. The biweekly starting salary for correction officers is around $2,550, excluding overtime.
As the debate over how to address New York's prison staffing crisis continues, one thing is clear: the state needs a more sustainable solution that addresses the root causes of the problem rather than just patching up the symptoms.
. Like, yeah, the $1 billion bill to keep the National Guard deployed is crazy, but what's the real cost of keeping these people locked up? The union says they don't oppose the deployment, but I'm not buying it - there's gotta be a hidden agenda here 
. And Governor Hochul just pushing for more funding and increased recruitment efforts? That sounds like corporate spin to me 
. We need to talk about the root cause of these staffing shortages: the prison system itself is broken, folks! Closing more prisons and reducing parole opportunities would be a real step in the right direction 
. The $1,671 National Guard pay might seem generous, but what's the real motivation here? Is it just about keeping people occupied or is there something more sinister going on? 
... it's insane! The fact that thousands of people lost their jobs during the strike and now we're talking about deploying 3,000 National Guard troops to keep everything running is just not right 
. I think what's really needed here is a comprehensive plan to address the root causes of this staffing crisis, like increasing parole opportunities or expanding hiring standards... it's all about making our prisons safer and more sustainable for everyone involved 
. They're not even getting paid enough to live comfortably in these prisons 
. And the union reps say they don't oppose the deployment, but I'm kinda with those lawmakers who think we need to tackle the root issues - rising violence and excessive overtime 
. We can't just keep patching up the problems, we need to fix the system 
. Maybe we could look into more innovative ways to recruit and retain staff, like mental health support or education programs 
. It's all about finding that sustainable solution 
.
I mean, $1 billion for 3,000 guards in prisons? That's like throwing money at a crisis while ignoring the underlying issues 
. They're basically paying correction officers to work overtime with minimal staffing, and now they're blaming the system for violence? Meanwhile, the union is just trying to get some stability back... good luck with that 
. Just throwing money at a problem won't fix it 
.
. We need to figure out a way to address this staffing crisis for good, not just throw more money at it. More prisons should be closed, and we need to focus on rehabilitating people instead of locking them up all the time 
. We need to be looking at the bigger picture here.
. $1 billion and countin'? That's crazy! And don't even get me started on these National Guard troops makin' bank while we're talkin' about a serious issue here 
. those guard troops are getting a pretty sweet deal tho $1,671 plus $2k supplement every two weeks is no joke 
. I mean, don't get me wrong, staffing shortages are a real thing, but is it really that hard to find qualified correction officers in the first place? 
Apparently not, since we're still short 2,300 people 
. If I had to take a guess, I'd say the real problem lies in addressing rising violence and excessive overtime 
. it's like, we know there are staffing shortages and violence and all that... but do we really need to deploy the National Guard in prisons? 
that just feels like a huge overreaction to me.
... 76% capacity? that's crazy 
. we need real solutions here, not just Band-Aids 
.
... but that doesn't mean we have to keep them locked up in tiny cells 
.
. We need to be looking at the bigger picture here - how are we preventing these staffing shortages in the first place? Is it just about throwing more money at the problem or do we need to rethink our approach to corrections? I'm not saying we should close all the prisons, but maybe some of them could be repurposed as community centers or job training facilities 
. We should be looking at ways to reduce recidivism and give people a second chance, you know? 
. The union rep says the deployment is temporary, but how long will it take to fix the real issues? I think they need to get creative with their solutions and actually listen to experts like Senator Salazar 
. The state needs to take real action to address these problems 
. The state needs to think outside the box (or in this case, the cell block) and find some real solutions, not just temporary fixes that only delay the inevitable 
$1.671 plus $2,000 supplements every two weeks is CRAZY