Sepulveda, Walker, De La Rosa, Blake, Mosley, Barron
MLTSPNSR
Add §138-b, Cor L
Relates to the establishment of an inmate visitation program, which gives inmates opportunities for personal contact with relatives, friends, clergy, volunteers and other persons to promote better institutional adjustment and better community adjustment upon release.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A7241A
SPONSOR: Weprin TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the correction law, in relation to the
establishment of an inmate visitation program
PURPOSE:
To establish the inmate visiting program in state and local correctional
facilities
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 adds a new section 138-b to the correction law establishing a
section authorizing inmate visits.
Section 2 provides an effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
Research has shown that inmates who receive visits from family, friends
and volunteers are significantly less likely to recidivate than inmates
who do not receive visits. DOCCS has long allowed visitation in its
facilities, although nothing in law requires them to do so. The benefits
of an inmate visitation program include but are not limited to: provid-
ing jobs for correctional staff, incentivizing program participation,
increasing inmate morale and facility safety, and facilitating reentry
through the preservation of family bonds.
This bill ensures that video visitation may not take the place of
in-person visitation. The goal of the visitation program is to provide
institutional safety, inmate rehabilitation and public safety. This
legislation also calls for a policy to be created to facilitate visita-
tions during high peak times.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
NOne.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect one hundred and twenty days after it shall
have become law.
