The ongoing protest by correctional services workers across New York State (NYS) has entered its second week, eliciting mixed reactions from the public. Two ex-prisoners, for instance, have expressed divergent viewpoints on this issue. The strike started when correctional personnel began to boycott their duties at various facilities in NYS, including those in Western New York, citing a lack of secure conditions at work.
The impasse has the potential for resolution, as key representatives from the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS), labor leaders, and a neutral arbitrator from New York City convened for the first time early this week. These initial discussions lay the groundwork for three days of negotiations geared towards grasping the prison officers’ grievances and finding a path to quell the strikes.
Tony Work, a Buffalo native, relates to the hardships associated with prison life based on his personal experiences. “It was a grueling experience,” Work commented. “I’m relieved it’s over, and I no longer live in those conditions.” A convicted offender for criminal weapon possession, Work served a seven-year term at three different state prisons, including Collins Correctional Facility in Western New York.
Work holds sympathy for the officers, commenting on the perspective he gained whilst serving time. “The vast majority of prisoners just want to complete their sentence and go back to their normal lives. It’s a small fraction of the prison population that benefits from the HALT Act, leaving the majority yearning for their freedom,” said Work.
Work sympathizes with the prison officers but at the same time, he acknowledges that certain prison policies have made the environment riskier. One such policy was the Humane Alternatives to Long-term Solitary Confinement, better known as the HALT Act, which curtails solitary confinement usage. Work, who was released prior to the legislation’s 2022 implementation, concurs with the officers’ argument that the act has heightened the potential for conflict within the prison facilities.
Work discussed the disparity between street and prison assault consequences, stating, “In the outside world, assault can lead to years in jail. However, in prison, an inmate assaulting another inmate or officer receives 15 days in solitary confinement – this does not count as true discipline.”
Work is certainly not an advocate for the HALT Act, denouncing it as an abhorrent piece of legislation that needs to disappear. “It has no place in our correctional systems,” asserts Work, expressing his fierce opinion on this matter.
While Work leans more in favor of the officers, Valentino Dixon, also a Buffalo inhabitant who served a wrongful 27-year sentence, holds an opposing stance. Dixon, who was cleared from all charges in 2018, views the HALT Act as progress toward more merciful treatment for prisoners.
Dixon questioned the existing inhumane conditions, declaring, “Imagine having basic necessities like heating and water supply cut off in your living space – that was our reality, recurring almost weekly.” Despite his backing of the HALT Act, Dixon cannot overlook the issue of overly long shifts for prison officers that adds to the already tense atmosphere, placing an immense amount of pressure on both staff and inmates.
Dixon acknowledges the prolonged shifts that correctional officers face, leading to chaos within the prison environment. He says that the current circumstances are pushing everyone to their limits, pointing out that correctional officers regularly blame the inmates for an increase in violent outbreaks.
Dixon holds the view that it is often the imprisoned who are victims of mistreatment, contrary to the common perspective that inmates are usually the culprits of violence. However, Dixon concurs that the exhaustive work hours imposed on the officers are contributing to the mounting strain on everyone within the correctional facility.