NEW YORK—Visitation to all New York state prisons has been halted, and more than 3,500 National Guardsmen have been deployed to fill in for correction officers who are on strike.
Since Feb. 17, the number of prisons with strikes has grown from two to around 30 of the 42 state prisons, according to officials from the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association Inc. (NYSCOPBA).
The state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) issued a statement on Feb. 20 announcing that all visitation at all DOCCS facilities has been canceled until further notice.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul issued a statement on Feb. 19 saying that she had signed an executive order activating members of the New York National Guard to help run the prisons, as well as giving additional overtime compensation to facility staff who remain on the job. She said guardsmen will ensure safety in the facilities and carry out tasks such as distributing meals and medications….