Report opposing 2017-18 Executive Budget proposal to reduce the visitation schedule at New York’s maximum security correctional facilities

SUMMARY

The Corrections and Community Reentry Committee (Alex Lesman, Chair) issued a report in opposition to the 2017-18 Executive Budget proposal to reduce the visitation schedule at New York’s 17 maximum security correctional facilities from seven days a week to three.  In-person visitation promotes individual and family well-being during and after incarceration, helps to limit the strain and stress of incarceration on children, parents, and spouses, and reduces the risk of institutional infractions and recidivism. While video visitation has the potential to provide families and friends with the opportunity to see their loved ones who are incarcerated without the burdens of travel, video should not supplant in-person visitation. The cost of video visitation, which is often passed through to its users, can be prohibitively high for families, and poor audio and visual quality can impede meaningful communication.  And, of course, video visitation cannot replace the physical connection that is made during an in-person visit.  The Committee urges the Legislature and Governor not to make cuts that will burden some of New York’s most vulnerable families and endanger the success of visitation programs in promoting institutional and public safety.