Hochul frees prisoners early to cut costs incurred by strike

Politico

01-04-2025

ALBANY, New York — Gov. Kathy Hochul is releasing some prisoners early in an effort to cut costs incurred by a recent correction officers strike, according to an
internal memo
.
The move garnered her swift support among left-flank Democrats and admonition from a Republican rival.
'Commissioner Martuscello has directed that a list of incarcerated individuals who are scheduled to be released in the next few months be reviewed for their transition into Residential Treatment,' said Thomas Mailey, a spokesperson for the state's corrections 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. Participating individuals must also have an approved residence, which is not a shelter or DSS placement.'
A state official with knowledge of the matter said the inmates set to be released early will likely make up less than 2 percent of the incarcerated population.
'We're looking at hundreds, not thousands out of a population of 32,500,' added the person, who was granted anonymity to freely discuss a matter still under review.
At issue is the wildcat strike, which started Feb. 17 when about 11,000 correction officers walked off the job in what became a 22-day
political crisis
for Hochul. The officers, who went on strike without union approval, were protesting mandatory overtime shifts and a state law limiting the use of solitary confinement, a tool the officers say is crucial to ensuring safety within the prisons.
Hochul called in 6,500 members of the National Guard to replace the officers, whom she contended were acting illegally. Though the strike ended three weeks ago, the state is still short 2,000 officers and the National Guard is still in place to fill those vacancies.
State Budget Director Blake Washington told reporters Monday the strike and the related installment of the National guard in prisons is costing the state over $100 million per month.
'Governor Hochul's top priority is the safety and well-being of all New Yorkers,' Hochul's spokesperson Matt Janiszewski said in a statement. 'The Governor is aware of Commissioner Martuscello's memo and supports his efforts to safely address staffing shortages and personnel concerns.'
Republican Rep. Mike Lawler, who is eyeing a run for governor next year, called Hochul's decision 'a dangerous misstep.'
'We need leaders who will tackle tough problems head-on, not resort to quick fixes that compromise the safety of law-abiding citizens. New Yorkers deserve better than policies that prioritize criminals over victims,' he said.
Lawmakers to Hochul's political left applauded the measure, while saying the policy should not be limited to those with a residence.
'We don't want those people to stay behind, simply because their families outside can't afford to pay the rent.' said Brooklyn Assemblymember Latrice Walker.
Michaelle Solages, chair of the state's Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus, also applauded the move.
'We need to come up with creative solutions to ensure that our correctional facilities are safe for every individual, including the employees and for the incarcerated,' Solages said. 'These people are at the end of their sentence, and this is just a common-sense way to relieve some of the pressure that's going on.'