BILL NUMBER: S3853

SPONSOR: SANDERS
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act directing the department of corrections and community supervision
to conduct a comprehensive study on deaths in correctional facilities
within New York state

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

To address the persistently high number of deaths in New York's correc-
tional facilities by conducting a study to identify systemic issues and
recommend improvements for the health and safety of incarcerated indi-
viduals.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 mandates the Department of Corrections and.Community Super-
vision (DOCCS) to conduct a comprehensive study on deaths within New
York state correctional facilities over the past decade, assessing the
causes of death, adequacy of mental health and medical services, identi-
              

fying patterns indicating systemic issues, evaluating the effectiveness
of current policies, and recommending improvements.

Section 2 requires DOCCS to submit a report detailing the findings and
recommendations from the study to the Governor, the temporary president
of the Senate, and the Speaker of the Assembly within one year of the
act's effective date.

Section 3 sets an effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

In New York State prisons, someone dies every three days, a stark
increase from the rate in 1976 of one death every twelve days.  Detailed
on June 29, 2023 in an online news article by THE CITY, this pattern has
persisted, with 111 deaths in 2022 and consistent figures in the preced-
ing years, 134 in 2021, 115 in 2020, 113 in 2019, and 137 in 2018. A
2021 study by the Center for Justice at Columbia University further
contextualizes the gravity of the situation, noting that the past decade
has seen more deaths in state custody than the total number of
executions over the 364 years that the death penalty was in effect in
New York.

This legislation would require a comprehensive study to delve into these
high mortality rates, seeking to understand their causes and the effec-
tiveness of current health and safety protocols. This study will evalu-
ate the effectiveness of current health and safety protocols and conduct
a comprehensive review of healthcare services and institutional prac-
tices. The goal is to generate well-considered recommendations aimed at
improving the health and safety of those incarcerated, demonstrating a
deliberate and informed effort to address this significant issue.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.