BILL NUMBER: S7936

SPONSOR: HARCKHAM
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act directing the commissioner of corrections and community super-
vision to study gender disparity in resources provided to incarcerated
individuals

 
PURPOSE:

Directs the commissioner of corrections and community supervision to
study gender disparity in resources provided to incarcerated individ-
uals.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 directs the commissioner of the Department of Corrections and
Community Supervision to study gender disparity in resources provided to
incarcerated individuals.

Section 2 states that the commissioner must report their findings to the
              

Governor and the Legislature no later than one year after the effective
date of this act.

Section 3 states the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

As in recent years New York's prison population has declined, the number
of women in prison has only declined by 5%, while the number of men in
prison has declined by 10%.(1) According to the Bureau of Justice
Statistics (BJS), 77% of women will be arrested again after leaving
prison. Due to these trends, it is essential to determine whether there
are adequate resources in women's correctional facilities to ensure
their needs are being met and that they are being adequately prepared
for reintegration back into the community.

Programming in women's prisons has improved in recent years, although
there is insufficient evidence to determine whether these programs are
actually meeting the needs of women.(2) One study found that half of
women exiting prison felt that the programs and resources provided to
them did not adequately prepare them for their return into the communi-
ty.(3)

Furthermore, gender differences in prison programming hurt men as well
as women. Although men and women in prison are both likely to be parents
to dependent children, parental programs for example are predominantly
found in women's prisons.4 Although many incarcerated men may benefit
from parenting classes, many are not able to access these programs.

There has not yet been a widespread study in New York analyzing gender
disparity in resources at state correctional facilities. Requiring this
study to be performed will better allow lawmakers to correct gender
disparities in New York State correctional facilities, in turn better
preparing both male and female incarcerated individuals for their return
to the community.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
This is a new bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
1 https://wwvv.prisonpolicy.org/reports/women_overtime.html
2 https://www.usccr.gov/files/pubs/2020/02-26-Women-in-Prison.pdf
3 https://www.usccr.gov/files/pubs/2020/02-26-Women-in-Prison.pdf
4 https://www.usccr.gov/files/pubs/2020/02-26-Women-in-Prison.pdf