New York prison facilities to close

ALBANY — The fate of several prison facilities around New York may be sealed as the state Department of Correctional Services responds to budgetary constraints.

On Tuesday, DOCS announced that three minimum security facilities— Camp Gabriels in Franklin County, Camp Pharsalia in Chenango County and Camp Mount McGregor in Saratoga County — will close July 1, "or as soon after as practicable." The three camps' closure was mandated by the recently enacted state budget for the current fiscal year.

Further, the department said it "intends to vacate" the annexes at Eastern (Ulster County), Green Haven (Dutchess), Groveland (Livingston), Lakeview (Chautauqua), Sullivan and Washington correctional facilities, as well as the minimum portion of Butler Correctional Facility (Wayne), on or about Oct. 1.

These closures were brought about by Gov. David A. Paterson's decision, announced earlier this month, to lay off 8,900 unionized state employees. Union leaders have refused to reopen contracts or make concessions, despite the governor's pleas for "shared sacrifice" in the face of the state's massive out-year budget deficits.

In an April 14 letter to workers at the affected camps, Corrections Commissioner Brian Fischer called the decision "a difficult one for all involved."

"Our inmate population has continued to decline and I must maximize the allocated staff and resources in an efficient manner, while operating the state prison system in an appropriate, safe manner," Mr. Fischer wrote. "Regardless of the compelling rationale in support of this decision, I recognize that any action which adversely affects the lives of facility employees is a matter of utmost seriousness and sensitivity."

In a separate but basically identical letter to annex workers, Mr. Fischer wrote: "The state's financial plan for this agency requires that I look beyond the closing of previously announced correctional camps."

Mr. Fischer added that DOCS "will make every effort" to assist affected employees in transferring to another correctional position, or to a job with another state agency.

DOCS said it that will continue to maintain the closed annex buildings, and that the medium-security portion of Mount McGregor Correctional Facility will remain open.

"The new state budget assumes savings from the closures," a DOCS press release said.

Donn Rowe, president of the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association, called the closures and the potential layoff of up to 446 corrections officers "irresponsible."

"Our prisons, which currently operate at 104 percent capacity, are already overcrowded and understaffed and these cuts will only exacerbate an already dangerous situation, endangering the lives of corrections officers and increasing the risk of inmate violence," Mr. Rowe said in a press release.

NYSCOPBA represents 23,000 corrections officers.

DOCS spokesman Erik J. Kriss disputed Mr. Rowe's use of the term "layoffs," saying "they know that the positions will be filled by attrition."

Mr. Kriss added that the total number of employees affected by these closures is "about 500."

"We don't anticipate any more closures, but we have to identify 2,021 positions for the governor's office by April 21," he said.