Requires the commissioner of correctional services to enter into agreements to house local inmates to alleviate overcrowding in local correctional facilities

1 Co-sponsor

• Darrel J. Aubertine

Title of bill

An act to amend the correction law, in relation to agreements for custody of definite sentence inmates

Purpose

Requires the Commissioner of the Department of Corrections to enter into agreements to house local inmates when the State Commission on Corrections determines it necessary to alleviate overcrowding at local correctional facilities.

Summary of provisions

Section 1 amends Section 91 of the Correction Law requiring counties to pay the cost of treatment, maintenance and custody of an inmate housed in a state facility when the State Commission on Corrections deems it necessary to alleviate overcrowding in a local facility. Allows for the issuance of waivers, the continuation of agreements between counties and for the city of New York to enter into agreements with any counties to alleviate overcrowding. Once the State Commission on Corrections make a determination that local inmates should be housed in a State facility pursuant to an agreement, the State Commission on Corrections can no longer mandate that a locality construct new facilities.

Section 2 amends subdivision 4 of the Correction Law.

Section 3 sets the effective date.

Justification

Recently, the State Department of Corrections made a recommendation to close four state correctional facilities citing the need for down sizing. At the same time, a number of county correctional facilities across the State are experiencing overcrowding issues. Several counties have been issued temporary waivers from the State Commission on Corrections allowing them to exceed their current inmate bed capacity while some county facilities have entered into agreements with other county facilities to temporarily ease overcrowding issues.

At a time when the State is experiencing an economic downturn and building costs have escalated, we should be utilizing existing space before asking taxpayers to fund capital costs that can be avoided if a shared services approach is fiscally prudent. This measure requires the Department of Corrections to enter into an agreement with counties experiencing overcrowding if the State Commission on Corrections determines this is the best course of action to alleviate overcrowding.

Legislative history

New bill.

Fiscal implications

Should provide significant savings to counties who would otherwise have to invest in expansion or new buildings.

Effective date

Thirty days after it becomes law.