NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A4851
SPONSOR: Palmesano
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the correction law, in relation to establishing a
contraband screening plan which includes a canine at the entrance of
each correctional facility
 
PURPOSE:
This bill would require the Commission of the Department of Corrections
and Community Supervision (DOCCS) to establish a contraband screening
plan in correctional facilities that includes the use of a leashed and
controlled canine at the entrance of each correctional facility
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Section 112 of the Correction Law is amended to increase
security and restrict contraband from entering the correction facility.
It would require the Commissioner of (DOCCS) to establish a contraband
screening plan in prisons. The plan would include, but not be limited to
the use of a controlled canine at the entrance of each correctional
facility.
Section 2: Provides an immediate effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Contraband, whether drugs, weapons, drones, cash, or any other item
smuggled into our prisons puts everyone at risk and often leads to
fights among inmates and violent attacks on officers and staff Recently,
there have been multiple incidents involving attacks on correction offi-
cers and inmates as a result of this. Data collected indicates that 2017
marked the most violent year inside, state prisons since 2007, which is
the year statistics began being recorded. In 2020, there were 3,952
incidences of contraband compared to 2,452 in 2011(61% increase).
Furthermore, assaults on staff statewide have risen from 563 incidents
in 2011 to 1,053 in 2020(86% increase).
When looking at statistics, every metric tracked by DOCCS rose above the
previous year's numbers. These alarming statistics and the several inci-
dents-over the past few years underscore the critical need for changes
to current protocols set forth by DOCCS. In May 2017, after a large
fight, officers found a drone, synthetic marijuana, a drug that is also
known as "spice" or "spike" and multiple weapons inside Auburn Correc-
tional Facility. In an attack at Five Points Correctional Facility in
Seneca County, a half dozen officers were injured during several alter-
cations with inmates inside a cell block. A black ceramic scalpel was
found during a search and taken as evidence. The Elmira Correctional
Facility has gone on lockdown on multiple occasions. A woman tried to
bring drugs to her brother, who is an inmate: at the Franklin Correc-
tional Facility in Malone, New York. Police say a K-9 smelled the drugs
in her purse. They say synthetic marijuana, known as K2, and Suboxone
were both found. She was charged with promoting prison contraband. At
Orleans Correctional Facility, an inmate was saved after overdosing on
heroin. An investigation led to the discovery of 24 packets of heroin in
one of the dorms. There are countless stories of failed drug tests among
inmates. One particular set of parents who have a son in a correctional
facility discussed how he cannot end his drug addiction because he has
constant access to drugs.
Procedures and policies must be updated to end this dire situation.
Increasing contraband screening of visitors to these facilities is a
good step to ensure drugs or objects that can be used as weapons do not
enter the institutions making them safer environments for both officers
and inmates.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Undetermined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
4851
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 23, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. PALMESANO -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Correction
AN ACT to amend the correction law, in relation to establishing a
contraband screening plan which includes a canine at the entrance of
each correctional facility
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 112 of the correction law is amended by adding a
2 new subdivision 6 to read as follows:
3 6. The commissioner shall establish a contraband screening plan which
4 shall include the use of a leashed and controlled canine trained to
5 detect illegal drugs at the entrance of each correctional facility.
6 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08496-01-3