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.

Corrections headlines in the news

There's been a trove of Corrections related headlines in the news lately. Below is a handful.

Hulking trans child molester repeatedly sexually assaulted female cellmate after being transferred to women’s prison: suit -NY Post

Bureau Of Prisons: 2024 Year In Review And Outlook for 2025 - Forbes

Sheriffs gear up to join Trump’s MASS DEPORTATION crusade -Natural News

DFL legislator shuts down discussion of trans prison policy at committee hearing - Alpha News

What can be gleaned from these stories is a few themes. The trans inmates (males) being placed in women's prisons is a growing problem which isn't going away, yet certain politicians choose not to discuss it. Jails and prisons are extremely understaffed and the upcoming Administration's immigration enforcement is going to add to that. 2025 should be an interesting and challenging year for corrections. 

Wisconsin CO killed by drunk driver on way to work

Fox 9 is reporting that Dunn County Corrections Officer Jeff Reynolds died in a crash on the way to cover a shift on Christmas Eve. He was struck by a drunk driver who ran a stop sign.

Our condolences to his family and fellow CO's at the Dunn County jail.

FULL STORY

Ohio CO murdered on Christmas Day

Just the News is reporting that Correctional Officer Andrew Lansing was killed by an inmate at the Ross Correctional Institution near Columbus Ohio. 

While most people are home with their families CO's work 24/7 protecting the public. 

The article states the facility is down 47 CO's. All too common these days.

Sadly this falls on the heels of CO Isaiah Patrick Bias being bludgeoned to death by an inmate in Texas just days ago.

Our hearts go out to his fellow CO's and family. 

Biden commutes sentence of inmate who murdered a prison guard!

President Biden just commuted the death sentences of 37 inmates on death row to life in prison. Including Anthony George Battle who killed a prison guard! 

The full list is HERE

Here's Anthony George Battle!

Who was Anthony George Battle?

According to 11Alive-

He even appealed his death sentence in 1999 and lost. In the appeal we learn he bludgeoned the CO to death with a hammer! (This is eerily similar to the death of MN Correctional Officer Jospeh Gomm who was murdered by an inmate with a sledge hammer).

From his 1999 appeal-

Not only did Battle lose the Appeal to overturn the Death Sentence it was said that he was already serving a 99 year sentence for rape and murder so adding more time for the murder of the CO was pointless, The Death Penalty stood. UNTIL BIDEN!

Detention Officer murdered by inmate

The Western Journal is reporting that Detention Officer Isaiah Patrick Bias was assaulted and killed by an inmate after being struck in the head. RIP Detention Officer Bias.

Male inmates housed with female inmates in Minnesota

 

Below is a story of biological men (trans men) being housed in Shakopee MCF women's prisons in Minnesota. How does this square with PREA?

FULL STORY

Jail Humor