NY State Senate Bill 2017-S6163

Senate Bill S6163

2017-2018 Legislative Session

Directs the department of corrections and community supervision to test a program of supplying inmates with tablets for educational and recreational means

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Crime Victims, Crime And Correction Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 03, 2018	referred to crime victims, crime and correction
May 11, 2017	referred to crime victims, crime and correction

2017-S6163 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A3820
Current Committee:: Senate Crime Victims, Crime And Correction
Law Section:: Correctional Services
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2019-2020: A6274
2021-2022: A4466
2023-2024: A1031

2017-S6163 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Directs the department of corrections and community supervision to test a program of supplying inmates with tablets for educational and recreational means.

2017-S6163 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 BILL NUMBER:  S6163

 TITLE OF BILL :  An act directing the department of corrections and
community supervision to test a program of supplying inmates with
tablets for educational and recreational means

 PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL :

To direct DOCCS to conduct a pilot program to test the benefits of
allowing inmates the use of tablets that are secure-email enabled and
which also provide educational and recreational software.

 SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS :

Section 1 contains legislative findings.

Section 2 directs DOCCS to conduct a pilot program. Section 3 is the
effective date.

 JUSTIFICATION :

The Federal prison system and several other states provide inmates
with electronic tablets that provide a secure, monitored email program
and a variety of educational and recreational software. The software
is preloaded based on the selection by the facility or the department.
The tablets do not have internet capability.

These tablets have been found to have a positive effect on the inmate
population, improving morale, reducing idle time and increasing inmate
communication with their families, their attorneys, and members of
their communities. Educational software available ranges from remedial
academic programming to parenting classes to vocational training to
TED talks and life skill coaching. Currently inmates must purchase
music on audio cassettes; tablets would replace that obsolete
technology. An additional benefit includes reduced inmate mail volume
and thus a reduced risk of contraband being introduced to the facility
through such mail. Tablets can also be used to improve internal
communications with inmates by correctional staff and to facilitate
the management of inmate financial accounts.

Tablets have the support of corrections officers and institutional
personnel in more than eleven states and in the Federal Bureau of
Prisons because they provide a powerful incentive for positive
behavior, which improves institutional safety for staff and inmates
alike. Paid for by inmates, tablets with secure email provide many
benefits and no drawbacks. A pilot program is the perfect way to
explore the use and benefits of inmate tablets in the New York State
Department of Corrections.

 PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

New bill.

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

None.

 LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

None.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become law.

2017-S6163 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6163
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               May 11, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. HAMILTON -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Crime Victims,  Crime  and
   Correction
 
 AN ACT directing the department of corrections and community supervision
   to  test  a  program of supplying inmates with tablets for educational
   and recreational means

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Legislative  finding. The bureau of prisons offers secure
 email service to all federal inmates nationwide. County jails in  numer-
 ous  states  have  found  that  granting  inmates access to tablets with
 educational and recreational programs  including  secure  email  reduces
 idle time, improves morale and increases inmate productivity. Therefore,
 the  legislature finds that it would be beneficial for the department of
 corrections and community supervision operate a pilot  program  to  test
 the  benefit  of providing secure email and other electronic programs to
 inmates.
   § 2. The department of corrections  and  community  supervision  shall
 develop  and  implement a pilot program to test the benefit of a tablet-
 based portfolio of educational  and  recreation  programs,  including  a
 secured  email  program, to improve inmate communication with his or her
 family, attorney, community members  and  organizations,  and  with  the
 department itself. Such pilot program shall include no fewer than thirty
 non-internet based tablet devices providing a secure email communication
 program  in  addition  to  educational  and  recreational programs which
 consider the unique needs and circumstances  of  the  inmate  population
 including  factors  related  to  health, age, education, religion, voca-
 tional training and other determining characteristics as the  department
 may deem appropriate. One year after the department shall have commenced
 the  pilot  program  the department shall issue a report to the governor
 and the legislature on the impact of the pilot program on facility safe-

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD09200-01-7

 S. 6163                             2
 
 ty, inmate behavior and performance, and other indicators of  the  value
 of providing such tablet-based devices in the correctional setting.
   §  3. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a
 law.

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