Disrupting the prison manufacturing status quo

Senate Investigations & Government Operations Committee Chair James Skoufis is looking to shake up the controversial manufacturing business run by the state prison system, including limiting the artificial edge they enjoy when selling office products.

The Orange County Democrat introduced legislation this spring allowing institutions covered by state contracting rules to purchase office products that aren’t made by Corcraft, an arm of the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision that is essentially the sole provider of certain manufactured goods.

“Any of these state agencies and state authorities and local governments, who currently must purchase from Corcraft, we look to simply offer them the choice where, yes, they can continue purchasing from, this arm, this extension of DOCCS if they so choose, but they don’t have to, especially if they find a more competitive price,” Skoufis told The Capitol Pressroom. A full conversation with the senator is available below.

During a Senate hearing on Corcraft in February, officials in the Hochul administration stressed that products produced with prison labor were competitively priced and noted that none of their clients had protested what they were being forced to pay.

Skoufis anticipates additional legislation will be introduced for the 2025 legislative session addressing Corcraft, including bills dealing with fiscal transparency and whether incarcerated New Yorkers are learning meaningful job skills when performing this subminimum wage labor.

“I don’t feel that DOCCS has been completely forthcoming with all the information that I think is required in order to reevaluate what’s working and not working within the program,” he said.