Correction officers, inmates divided over NYS Halt Act
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — Statewide division continues over the Halt Act. Correction officers entered their ninth day of striking on Tuesday and said the Act needs to be repealed to restore prison control. Those incarcerated, however, said its removal would take away more rights and privileges.
The Halt Act went into effect across the state in 2022 and requires all prisoners to be let out of their cells every day for at least seven hours and limits the amount of solitary confinement time an inmate can get. Correction officers say it limits inmate discipline, which they said makes their job harder. Meanwhile, inmates call it a saving grace.
'It's really frustrating being retaliated against for trying to get what you're entitled to and not being able to get it because an officer doesn't like you or is in his or her feelings that day,' That's how a statement from an anonymous individual incarcerated at Clinton prison in Dannemora, New York starts.
The inmate went on to say the strike by corrections officers is 'nothing but an attempt to distract from the increased scrutiny of officer brutality. The National Guard is here all because the officers got caught beating the brother at Marcy to death. The Halt Solitary Campaign says the law has forced positive changes that have saved lives and reduced torture and there are still consequences for violence within the facility.'
Day one of the strike was on Feb. 17, three days before ten correction officers were charged with murder in the beating death of Robert Brooks. Those who walked off the job nearly 10 days ago said there's a need for operational changes, including the suspension of the Halt Act due to a staffing crisis, and inhumane working conditions.
Jennifer is the wife of a correctional officer and said the act has increased uncertainty and danger for officers since it was introduced and said it has affected her family.
'It's not holding the inmates accountable, because it's taking away the officers' rights,' Jennifer said. 'It's changed the way our family interacts because we're concerned about how you know if he's coming home or not.'
Governor Hochul said Tuesday the state is doing everything it can to get correction officers back to work and agreed staffing was a barrier to carrying out provisions of the law and temporarily suspended parts of the Halt Act.
Jennifer said she wants to see more done.
'They're just trying to figure out how to threaten the officers to get them back to work. Put the ownership back with the prisons and the leadership,' Jennifer said.
State Senator Dan Stec proposed an amendment to repeal the Halt Act that was voted down early Tuesday. Governor Hochul said the state is determined to find a resolution as soon as possible.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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