Short staffing leads to early inmate release

 The Times Union is reporting: 

ALBANY — New York is going to begin letting inmates out of understaffed state prisons if they are within 110 days of their release date and have a residence where they can live that has been verified by parole officers.

State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision Daniel F. Martuscello III issued a memo Monday to all state prison superintendents directing them to create spreadsheets of the inmates who qualify for early release, which will include factors such as whether they have active warrants or are participating in drug treatment programs.

The memo was released a day after nearly 50 correction officers at Mid-State Correctional Facility in Oneida County briefly refused to go into the facility due to low staffing and what they viewed as a dangerous situation. A person briefed on the matter said the prison was operating during the Sunday morning job action with fewer than a dozen correction officers and a small number of National Guard members. The officers reported to their work areas around 9:30 a.m. after roughly two hours.

FULL STORY

More Detention News

Striking New York Corrections Officers can be hired by other agencies.

UTICA, N.Y. — Correctional officers who participated in and were terminated by participating in strikes at New York State Correctional Facilities may be employed by county agencies starting April 10.

That's the date an executive order by Governor Kathy Hochul is scheduled to expire.

Oneida County took legal action against the Governor and New York state over her executive order 47.3, which instated the ban. The state clarified that the order was temporary, and as of April 10, any local government is now permitted to hire any terminated correction officer.

FULL STORY

INMATE DEATH IN ANOKA COUNTY JAIL UNDER INVESTIGATION

FULL STORY

Rochester Nurse had an affair with a Federal Prisoner in Rochester MN

• A prison nurse at the Federal Medical Center (FMC) in Rochester was indicted for abusive sexual contact with an inmate and making false statements to federal law enforcement.

FULL STORY- Fox 9

Hennepin County Detention Deputy Assaulted

 

A Hennepin County Detention Deputy was assaulted by inmate Dellione Pierre Robison. According to the news article (Source Alpha News) The Detention Deputy suffered a concussion and a broken nose.

Robison has been charged (probable cause) with Fourth Degree Assault. Given Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarity's penchant to downgrade charges we hope this sticks. This is a line of duty injury.

Judge Orders Bureau of Prisons to Return Transgender Inmates to Women’s Facilities!

Gateway Pundit is reporting,  Judge Orders Bureau of Prisons to Return Transgender Inmates to Women’s Facilities!

This reverses President Trumps executive order and places women in danger!

FULL STORY

From the article:

One significant case occurred at Logan Correctional Center in central Illinois on June 18, 2019, where a female inmate, referred to as Jane Doe, alleged she was raped by Janiah Monroe, a transgender inmate with male genitalia.

Doe claimed prison officials conducted a “sham investigation,” classifying the assault as consensual to avoid violating the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA), and she faced punishment for reporting it.

In 2022, another case at Rikers Island involved a lawsuit claiming a man posing as a transgender woman raped a female prisoner, with allegations that jail staff ignored warnings about the individual’s true gender identity.

Tremaine Carroll, a transgender inmate, was charged with raping multiple female inmates in 2024. Carroll had been transferred to the women’s facility under California’s Transgender Respect, Agency, and Dignity Act, which allows inmates to be housed based on their gender identity. Following the allegations, Carroll was moved back to a men’s prison.

When will real women be important again?

New York fires 2,000 striking correctional officers

 New York officials fired more than 2,000 prison guards on Monday for not returning to work after a weekslong strike.

Enough correctional officers had returned to work for the state to declare an end to the wildcat strike, a labor action that violated a state law prohibiting strikes by most public employees.

"After 22 days of an illegal strike, the governor and I are happy to report it is now ended," Corrections Commissioner Daniel Martuscello said during a virtual press briefing.

The state and the guards’ union, the New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association, reached a new deal to end the strike over the weekend, but it was contingent on at least 85% of staff returning to work by Monday morning. While the 85% goal was not met, Martuscello said the state would honor some of the agreement's provisions, including on overtime work.

FULL STORY Fox News

Union accuses NY prison system of illegal actions

 ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM) – The union (NYSCOPBA-New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association) representing striking Correction Officers at the Elmira Correctional Facility and other prisons around the state of New York sent a message to its members on Friday, accusing the State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) and New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s office of unethical and illegal conduct surrounding negotiations with union members

FULL STORY MYTWINTIERS.COM

NY to begin firing striking Corrections Officers

 Spectrum News 1 is reporting "New York begins terminating striking Corrections Officers, cancelling their health insurance"

FULL STORY

Bill to ban males from Shokopee womens prison

There's finally a Bill to ban incarcerating men in the Shakopee women's prison. It's hard to believe this is even a question. 

The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA), a Federal Law would seem to already have this covered. Not to mention common sense, which seems to be lacking in Minnesota theses days.

Let's hope this bill passes!

Full Story Alpha News

Yet another NY prison takeover by inmates!

WWNYTV 7 News is reporting that the  Riverview Correctional Facility had inmates take over dormitories in that facility during an overnight shift. 

FULL STORY

Follow up to NY prison uprising and more news

There's been more developments since the NY prison uprising we last wrote about.

Many of the NY Corrections Officers have gone on a wildcat strike.

NY Post is reporting that NY Governor Hochul has filed a suit against them.

and Parole officers have been ordered to fill in at correctional facilities during the strike as well as the National Guard ordered into prisons.

Meanwhile in Hawaii

Amid workforce crisis, corrections department opts to leave some jail posts unmanned before approving overtime

More news regarding Corrections

Here's several news headlines affecting the Corrections Profession.

The good the bad and the ugly.

New York state prison placed on lockdown after inmates take over, injure three corrections officers | Fox News

Charges: Former Anoka County work release officer had sexual relationship with inmate - Bring Me The News

From FOX 9 Minneapolis - Drug-laced legal papers prompt jailhouse investigation (Hennepin County Jail)

NY Sheriff may face Federal charges for releasing an illegal alien criminal

 

Full story Law Enforcement Today.

Sheriff's and jails should pay attention. Things have hanged.

Bill to ban men from being housed with women in MN prisons

Who would ever thought such a bill would be necessary, but here we are. It's hard to believe this was allowed under the PREA.

Hoping this bill passes.

Full story Alpha News.

Some Corrections stories in the news

 Here's a couple of Corrections related headlines in the news.

Trans inmate's lawsuit challenges Trump 'two-sexes' order cutting off tax money for gender therapy - Fox News

Family suing after 59-year-old's death at Olmsted County Jail -Just The News

Which Minnesota Jails hold ICE inmates? And What's changed?

Not all jails have a contract with the Federal Government to house ICE inmates. Those Corrections Officers in those jails are going to be very busy for the foreseeable future.

ICE has agreements with the jails in Elk River in Sherburne County, Albert Lea in Freeborn County and Willmar in Kandiyohi County to use them as detention facilities for holding detainees. Full story CBS/WCCO.

People in the country illegally are housed in these facilities until they have a hearing and are released or deported. These jails actually are paid by the Feds and this offsets the the cost of running their jails for local taxpayers. (See this previous post in the Detention Home Blog about Sherburne County and Ice.)

As a retiree from the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office this is how things have changed. 

Up until the middle of the Stanek administration foreign nationals who were arrested in Hennepin County were run by ICE to see if they were here legally. If not ICE would put a hold on them and when their county charges were done or they were to be released we'd hold them overnight until ICE picked them up the next day. They'd go to an immigration hearing. Much the same as if they had a hold for a neighboring County or State. Typically they'd pick up 2-3 a day, more on Monday after a weekend. It was a daily occurrence.

Then around 2014 Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman decided Hennepin County would no longer honor those holds and we had to release them. The result was at least a dozen a week released back into the community!

The new policy was we'd notify ICE when they were going to be released. If they got there in time they would arrest them as they were leaving the release area. If not they walked free. We were not to delay their release to wait for ICE. Too many just walked.

To clarify, a person arrested with only an immigration hold was not brought into the Hennepin County Jail. The arresting agency would have to drive them to a county jail that had the contract. Only inmates arrested for a crime in Hennepin County who also had an ICE hold were held over.

IMO not honoring an ICE hold endangers public safety. Those County's not honoring these holds are endangering their citizens.

Rep. Dan Wolgamott gets condemned by Benton County Board

You may remember Rep. Dan Wolgamott as one of the authors of the bill to raid the PERA Correctional Plan.

https://x.com/MNHRCWarRoom/status/1881767613736656979?mx=2

Well the Benton County Board just condemned Rep. Dan Wolgamott for refusing to show up for work. He hasn't even shown up at the Capitol one day this session! Not even the first day to take his oath. 

And yes he's getting paid!

Full story here: https://x.com/MNHRCWarRoom/status/1881767613736656979?mx=2

Minnesota's Juvenile Correctional Problem

In 2021 Hennepin County closed the Homeschool, it's juvenile facility. Now they pay to send them out of State!

Good story from Alpha News.

Los Angeles County Jails in the midst of the fires

So how are the jails in Los Angeles county dealing with the fires?

As you know inmates don't just go home and Correctional Officers must still go to work and be responsible for the safety of the inmates.

The Appeal is covering this.

From the article

"According to an analysis by The Appeal, dozens of jails, prisons, and juvenile detention facilities across Los Angeles may be at risk. At least one facility is in an evacuation warning zone—Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall, a San Fernando Valley detention center holding 96 children. The building complex sits slightly more than a mile from the Hurst Fire."

FULL STORY

Big changes for retired CO's

1. As of January 1, 2025 State and local Corrections Officers are now recognized as Public Safety Employees, the same as Police and Fire.

It's part of the Federal Secure Act 2.o.

If you retire early, before 55 there is no longer a 10% tax penalty. PERA penalties may still apply. Also if you COBRA your employer heath insurance that will now be tax deductible. See MNCORA Blog for more

There are also disability benefits too.

Michigan Office of Retirement Services

2. The Social Security Fairness Act passed and just needs the President's signature. 

Once signed those CO's in the PERA Correctional Plan who opted out of Social Security will be able to collect for the years they paid in without penalty.