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HOW QUICKLY WE FORGET
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As I look back over my short history on this planet, as well as in the field of unions, I have found one thing in common… how quickly we forget.

Just over the past few years, from the first World Trade Center bombing in 1993, to the devastation of 9-11-2001, people have a way of forgetting the reality of what they felt during these crossroad times in history.

I remember a great sense of pride when President Reagan lobbed a missile into a tent in Libya and took out the son of the leader of that country.

I remember a great sense of pride when "That Wall" finally came down, largely in part due to the actions of a president who had greater vision than ever credited for.

And finally, I remember the great sense of unity we felt on 9-13-01 when George W. Bush stood atop the remnants of the World Trade Center and said “I hear you…and soon the people who did this will hear you too.”

Elections are very partisan by nature, but we cannot miss the opportunity to do what is right for our country and our organization.

What is right you might ask?

I believe that it is right for our country to stand for values, life and freedom.

I believe that it is right for our membership to stand for those among us whom are least capable, and most of all, I believe that it is time that we stopped making the electoral process about who is our friend and whom we like the best…what ever happened to who is the best for the job?

There have been many partisan discussions on this venue as well as “the other net” and the website, however, just like the current election:

IT’S ABOUT OUR VERY SURVIVAL AS AN ORGANIZATION AND A COUNTRY.

During the past few months, I have had plenty of reflection time on the tiers of Coxsackie, and the same variable comes to mind…what did the first administration do so wrong?

I saw a strong and independent organization, which mission was to bring about a new sense of professionalism in the field of corrections.

An organization which sought to take care of our members, from chief to individual, and make possible things which were only dreams a few short years before.

I saw an organization which had garnered the respect of the elected officials of New York, as well as nationwide recognition for our great strides.

I saw an organization which had vowed to once again become “our brother’s keeper”, and the resources provided to enable us to be the best that we were capable of.

During my 4+ years on the road, I had the opportunity to work with a great many of our members, either in providing resources for your local boy scouts troop, little league team, or favorite charity, to bringing one of the many programs we created to all corners of the state.

Whether I spent my time in the LOB, seeking to make life a little better for our membership, writing grants to fund our programs, or attending your local PTA meeting, all was done with one purpose in mind:

To bring about a new sense of professionalism and belief in ourselves, as well as conviction in whom we are, and what we are about.

Much of that has been lost in the minds of a Correction Officer in today’s department. We are by nature, very cynical and unwittingly become a part of the negativity in which we are constantly surrounded. We have been beaten down by zeros and disrespect from our administrations, and are now at the point where the only things which we look forward to are the next contract and our paydays.

Although it took this far to get to it, my point is a simple one:

I ask you all once again to become involved…involved in your future, your fate, and your organization. Now is a time which will be looked back on as a crossroads…both nationally, as well as for our organization.

Take time to become a part of the process, vote your conscience, and educate yourselves on the issues around you.

Strive to break the circle of negativity you are enveloped in by becoming involved in COPS CARE, or your favorite local charity, and show your friends and neighbors just who the Correction Officer next door is, and what we are all about.

During the past few months, we have been looking for the sense of outrage in the dissolution of the relationship between NYSCOPBA & COPS CARE, but have failed to see any.

Sure, we hear occasionally that “its really messed up what they (Harcrow & Company) did”, and “how can they take away something that has been so beneficial to not only the kids, but our organization”,

It is not enough to lament the thoughts of “what could have been”, moreover, it is time to say: WHAT ARE WE GOING TO BECOME.

Please don’t let COPS CARE become a “casualty of strife and apathy”, help us continue our mission to bring the Correction Officer out from behind the walls and back into the community where they belong.

Please don’t let NYSCOPBA become a failed experiment in futility, because independence works…the proof is in the first 3 ½ years.

Most importantly, stay the course, and believe in the future: AND PLEASE MAKE TIME TO VOTE NOVEMBER 2ND and MAY 24TH

Fraternally,
David Martin

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As a resident, parent, and home owner in Oneida County I feel obligated to make you aware of a potentially dangerous situation that is developing in our community and communities around the state. Marcy Correctional Facility recently achieved, through mandatory transfer of 20 Officers, the lowest staffing level since the early 1990’s. Since these transfers have taken place Marcy Facility has run at staffing levels well below the minimum staffing levels set in the early 1990’s by the state even though the Marcy Correctional Facility is over 20% above its intended capacity. The only apparent reason is the attempt to save money on overtime costs. State Correctional facilities are dangerous places to be for every person inside of the fence and we, as Correction Officers and your neighbors, do the very best we can to keep all as safe as possible. Staffing cuts in the area of security are not unlike playing Russian roulette. Proper staffing allows not only the proper running of the jail, but it also allows better control of volatile situations that develop in these volatile environments. At least at Marcy, our safety as well as yours is at risk, and it is apparent that neither the Department of Correctional Services nor the Local Administration cares.

Department of Correctional Services has been increasing the practice of minimizing the numbers of Correction Officers on duty inside of the state’s correctional facilities. It was recently reported to the legislature that NYS is closing 600 Correction officer posts per day statewide. The simple explanation of this is the state is trying to save money on overtime. As tax payers and Community members we need recognize the necessity of saving money. We also must recognize the impact of the safety of the every individual inside of the facility along with the surrounding communities. There are plenty of ways to save money in the Department, such not supplying low cost housing to the Superintendents and other Management positions. Some Local Superintendents are living in oversized homes having all expenses paid by the state while making in excess of $100,000 a year. Administrative positions could be scaled back or combined rather than cut security positions. Front line security positions should never be cut because of the danger it creates but right now they are the first positions cut. If you have family or friends that work as cooks or school teachers or maintenance workers at a correctional facility, closing of officers posts endangers them. If you have a family member that is incarcerated in a state facility, closing officers’ posts endangers them. If you live in a surrounding community to a state correctional facility, closing of officer posts endangers you.

Simple statistics can show you that correctional facilities are becoming more dangerous than they have in years. There are presently 66,000 inmates housed in facilities in New York. This total number includes approx 7,400 that are receiving care for mental disorders. Of these 7400 mentally ill inmates incarcerated in this state, we have 1850 that have to live in isolation 23 hours per day. New York State has the largest number of inmates infected with AIDS/HIV in the country. Factor in Gang violence, Hepatitis C, and the amount of drugs that filter in to our facilities it is beyond irresponsible to consider security staff cuts below minimum levels. The State of New York is loading a gun and pointing it at our communities. We can only hope that no one pulls the trigger!

NYSCOPBA Representative
John Gavin
Trenton NY

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ust wanted to address something I saw in a recent posting regarding history.

There is a quote which I cannot remember whom to attribute to, but I am sure that you will all recognize "Those of us who choose not to learn from history will be doomed to repeat its mistakes" (rough version after a rough day...lol)

Even in our own little world (as compared to the big picture), we have the practice of revisionist history taking place. This was first made popular by the Clinton clan...no not Dannemora...lol.

Now we see it on our own sight and in our membership...

Lets try to set the record straight.

Firstly, it is my belief, as is being confirmed on an almost daily basis by my membership, that Rick Harcrow and company were elected not by mandate, but by apathy.

I hear on a continual basis statements like "gee, looking at what is going on now, Brian didn't do such a bad job" or "I can't believe what is going on...we are stuck in the same rut as we were with Council 82".

My first question is always "did you vote, and if so, did you vote for a change, if you don't mind my asking?"

Consistently, I am hearing either "No, I was happy with what was being done and figured they (the first administration) would be a shoe-in." or "I didn't realize it was going to be that important", or even better, "I was kind happy with what was going on, but I was still mad about the contract so I voted for a change".

We are not going to re-hash the contract debate, if you haven't read it already, check back to the archives.

My point is simple, History does speak for itself:

For those whom have forgotten, here are some of the accomplishments of the first three years.

Cleanup and streamlining of the grievance process, along with the highest percentages of wins witnessed in years

18 1/4 % in dollars over the last contract
-triborough language for incentive $$$
-sweeping changes in articles 7&8 of the contract
-SLED
-retirement contribution cessation (after 10 years)
-sick leave incentive program

Staffing changes which effected hundreds of man-hours for our officers within the facilities.

13 pieces of legislation accomplished
Binding Arbitration
A working relationship with the department
Respect within the legislative community

And with thanks to Denny Fitzpatrick as well for the following

Image Enhancement Program
Scholarship Program
Catastrophic Program
Retirement Award Program
Valor Award Program
Retiree Chapter
Sponsorships for kids and groups in our communities
Emerald Society Pipe Band

There are countless other smaller things, and probably some which I have left out (unintentionally) however, the point is made...I STILL REMEMBER the correct history and will continue to pass it down to anyone who will take time to listen.

As far as road blocks, there were obstructionist in the first three years as well and these accomplishments were STILL MADE.

That is an excuse, and is unacceptable...and the people who pay the bills deserve better, and more importantly, an answer.

The answer for the lack of production from the current administration is that they are the roadblocks!

They did not ask for or accept any advice from anyone within the organization when they took over and have not to date.

They will not accept any way of doing things besides their own, and will not accept direction from the people whom elected them, in fact, they show disregard and contempt for the members.

Just try to get a call back when you are criticizing their actions...good luck.

One thing can be said for the previous administration...they were involved with the daily operations of the organization from top to bottom.

Brian and Billy may have not known each and every detail of what was going on, but they had a good working knowledge of what each and every staffer was up to and the direction was clear.

Bottom line is that they took the time to ask if they didn't know, they sought out advice from the membership, and they were ACCESSIBLE if you had a complaint. That is why they succeeded in such a grand fashion, and made me proud to be a CORRECTION OFFICER again.

I too cannot wait for the elections, and believe me...I will vote my conscience...and vote to remove the roadblocks...and establish a new board which will lead us back onto the track of prosperity, decency, and most importantly the track we deserve.

Fraternally
Dave Martin

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- Razor wire barrier being built in Elmira in response to July 2003 escape of 2 killers.

By BROOKE J. SHERMAN
Star-Gazette
[email protected]

Work has started to build two fences topped with razor wire around most of the Elmira Correctional Facility, completing the state's work to make the prison more secure after two murderers escaped in July 2003.

The 2,205-foot-long barrier will consist of an 8-foot inner fence closest to the prison and a 16-foot outer fence, with a 20-foot no-man's land in the middle, said James Flateau, spokesman for the Department of Correctional Services.

There will also be improved lighting near the fences as part of the $7.5 million project, Flateau said.

The fences will stretch across the front of the maximum-security prison at the top of the hill and follow portions of the side walls, but it won't surround the facility, Flateau said.

Motion sensors and a closed-circuit television system will be installed to monitor the no-man's land and the 16-foot fence, he said.

Work will be complete next year, he said.

The fence will not stretch around the rear of the prison because there is already a 30-foot-high wall there with guard towers, Flateau said.

Construction has already begun at the north end of the prison, with the building of a temporary parking lot near the prison's power house, Flateau said.

The temporary lot will provide employee parking during the construction of the fence, which will block access to some of the parking spots in the lower lot along Davis Street and Bancroft Road.

Timothy A. Vail and Timothy G. Morgan hammered their way through the ceiling of their cell on July 7, 2003, crawled through the ventilation system and, with a collection of tied bedsheets, lowered themselves from the roof to the ground. They were caught in Horseheads the following day.

Elmira City Councilman John Corsi, R-3rd District, a vocal proponent for the fence, said he was pleased to finally see construction plans at City Hall this week. But he said he was frustrated with the difficulty the city had in getting information from the state.

"What's discouraging is that we just don't have a very good cooperation or contact from the state with the city," Corsi said.

A community board that was formed to meet with state officials on the planning of the fence was never consulted, Corsi said, calling that disappointing.

Flateau was unapologetic about the lack of community input.

"I don't know that there are too many people in city government with experience with building secure perimeters," he said.

Flateau said the plan should put the community's mind to rest.

"If I was living across the street from the prison, (the fence) would seem both aesthetic and functional to me," he said.

The city is just learning of the full scope of the state's fence plans, which include the acquisition of 15 acres of property on the west side of Bancroft Road, across the street from Woodlawn Cemetery and behind the prison. The property was eyed for expansion for the city-owned Woodlawn Cemetery.

The city is still waiting for a purchase offer on the 15 acres, City Manager Samuel F. Iraci said.

Iraci also complained that the city was kept in the dark through much of the planning process.

"From the very beginning, we wanted to strike a reasonable balance between what is necessary for them to do ... for security means, but not use too much land," Iraci said.

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Life on the inside

This story was published 10/11/2004 by the News desk

By DON LEHMAN

It was a routine medical call at Great Meadow Correctional Facility the morning of Aug. 20.

Or so it seemed.

An inmate complained of trouble breathing. Mark Rocque was one of three officers who went to the cell to help.

The prisoner, though, was not really ill.

"As soon as the cell opened, he came flying out like Mike Tyson," Rocque recalled.

He threw a punch at Rocque, missing his head, but connecting with the sergeant standing next to Rocque.

He was fortunate and escaped serious injury. But had the inmate had a homemade weapon, it could have been much different.

No one knew why the prisoner turned violent. For officers like Rocque, who has worked in state prisons for 15 years, you learn to stop asking why.

A prisoner assaults a staff member at Great Meadow every week or so, according to state statistics. Danger lurks around every corner in the old, sprawling prison building, where the denizens are murderers, rapists, robbers or criminals with mental illnesses.

Most of the time, the inmates outnumber officers nearly 10-to-1.

Yet day after day, the tight-knit crew of correction officers charged with minding this unpredictable population comes to work in one of the largest correctional systems in the world, the threat of not only violence but communicable diseases like HIV, hepatitis and tuberculosis heavy on their minds.

It's a job that wreaks havoc with their emotions, takes a toll on their families and can take years off their lives.

"It's no picnic," said Wilson Chapman, a correction officer at Great Meadow who has worked as an officer for 23 years. "People don't understand it."

"I've seen this job drop people to their knees," said Great Meadow officer Tom Jones, also a 23-year veteran.

Misconceptions

Great Meadow Superintendent Gary Greene has been working in the state prison system for 32 years. He has learned the system inside and out, but he believes the public knows little of what takes place inside a maximum-security prison or what corrections officers do there.

Chief among the misconceptions is the belief that prisoners spend their days in their cells, leaving only for meals and recreation.

Recent visits to Great Meadow found the bowels of the 93-year-old prison alive with inmates, all clutching small, white paper passes that give them permission to go to work, school or the infirmary. As they move from cell block to cell block or pass the central rotunda, they flash their passes to show they should be out of their cells.

The prison's inmate-run furniture factory turns out thousands of chairs and desks for schools in New York, and its soap factory produces soap used in state offices.

A small city of nearly 1,700 inmates has plenty of medical needs, so the morning finds plenty of activity outside the infirmary.

Some inmates are handcuffed or shackled, while others sit by themselves. A number of apparently mentally ill inmates are waiting their turn. One handcuffed and shackled prisoner wears a hospital gown and has a far-off look in his eye. His hair is long and greasy and looks like it hasn't been washed for days. Two officers hold onto him, one on each arm, braced for a struggle.

They have only their hands to defend themselves with.

Many people mistakenly believe correction officers carry weapons, Greene said.

The only times they are armed, though, is when dealing with a violent inmate or when taking inmates off prison grounds for transfers or court appearances.

'Do their time'

Greene said most inmates know the drill: Move when told to move. Keep quiet when asked to keep quiet. Follow orders.

Most don't cause trouble.

"Ninety-nine-point-nine percent of them just do their time and move on," he said. "There's really just a small core of inmates that may be unpredictable."

"They don't want it any harder than the rest of us," said Great Meadow corrections officer Chris Hyde, an 18-1/2 year veteran.

All are felons, and most are serving sentences for violent crimes. Those in for nonviolent crimes typically wind up in a maximum-security prison because of disciplinary problems in lower security prisons.

Greene said he's aware of some inmates doing their fourth or fifth stints at Great Meadow.

Much of an inmate's day is spent in a 5-foot-by-8-foot cell. Some are double-bunked two to a cell.

Some cells have 10-inch, black-and-white televisions that inmates can buy from the prison commissary and then pay for a watered-down cable television connection.

They can only listen to music through headphones. One prisoner whose radio was blaring 1970s funk got a warning from Greene as he escorted a reporter on a tour.

Those inmates in their cells occasionally call for assistance from officers assigned to their block, looking for answers to questions such as when they're headed to the infirmary or a certain program.

"C.O., I'm supposed to go to the doctor!" one prisoner yelled repeatedly, until officer Craig Granger explained it wasn't yet time for his appointment.

Inmates get an hour of recreation a day in a sprawling, paved outdoor recreation yard ringed with guard towers. Pickup basketball was the game on this August day, with several courts hosting games. Other inmates jogged or walked, while dozens sat around on tables and chairs, chatting.

When they aren't taking their recreation, prisoners go to classes, some in academic subjects, others to learn trades.

Those who don't work making furniture or soap find work in the mess hall, laundry room, maintenance department or at many other jobs helping the prison run.

The prison also runs treatment programs for those with drug problems, for sex offenders and on other crime-related issues.

"There's quite a myriad programs these guys have access to," Greene said.

In the midst of it all are the officers who escort prisoners here and there, address their needs and try to keep order.

Few moments are quiet.

"It's like a small city here. It's never dull, there's always something going on," Greene said

The SHU

In prison, it's called the "SHU," pronounced "shoe," short for special housing unit.

It's the area where inmates who misbehave wind up, confined to their cells 23 hours a day. They are allowed out of their cells one hour a day for recreation in special areas.

Inmate advocates have criticized this practice of solitary confinement, in particular in a report last year from the watchdog group Correctional Association of New York.

But correction officers and prison administrators consider the SHUs and additional maximum security cells built over the last decade valuable tools to keep inmates in line.

"The availability of these beds sends the message that misbehavior will immediately result in inmates being locked up," said James Flateau, spokesman for the state Department of Correctional Services.

Great Meadow has 69 SHU cells.

One of the inmates in a SHU cell last month was the man who briefly escaped from minimum-security Mount McGregor Correctional Facility. Many land there after disciplinary problems like possession of drugs, homemade weapons or other contraband

Greene said prisoners are surprisingly ingenious. For instance, Great Meadow was locked down for several days in August after one inmate managed to have a visitor smuggle in a high-strength plastic knife.

"These guys have 24 hours a day to try to figure out ways to get one over on us," Greene said.

Security

A sergeant at Great Meadow told a reporter during a recent visit that a passing English bicyclist mistook the prison for a castle and asked when he could take a tour.

He hadn't made it to the front door. If he had, he would have quickly realized Great Meadow is no castle.

Visitors can't get in to the waiting room unless they're buzzed in by officers manning the first security checkpoint.

Visitors are all but strip-searched to pass through the sensitive metal detector, which picks up minute pieces of metal in shoes.

"This is a max security jail. It's not a Boy Scout camp," officer Robert Mueller quips to a griping visitor.

Get through the metal detector and get a sticker identifying you as a visitor.

It's no ordinary name tag, though. It's made of a special paper that quickly biodegrades so it can't be re-used.

Then comes the hand stamp, in a special ink that can be picked up only by ultraviolet scanner used to lessen the chance that an inmate could sneak out by posing as a visitor.

Those wishing to meet Greene have to get through three locked gates and doors just to get to the administrative building.

The clanking of the gates as they slam shut echoes through the corridors of the old prison.

"Pretty scary to hear that gate close behind you, isn't it?" said Bob Hartung, union chief sector steward at the prisoner.

WHAT THEY MAKE

New York state corrections officer salaries:

• Base salary for first six months of training: $28,444
• Second six months of training:$30,043
• Salary after one year: $34,742
• Salary after five years: $41,652
• Salary after 10 years: $45,103
• Salary after 15 years: $47,172

The gates slammed behind me

COMMENTARY

By DON LEHMAN

There's no sound like the front gate of a maximum-security prison slamming and locking behind you.

You know you're not getting out unless someone lets you out.

It's scary when you realize you're locked in with some of New York's most incorrigible criminals, many of whom have taken lives before and wouldn't hesitate to do so again.

Recent visits to Great Meadow Correctional Facility in Fort Ann for a series of articles on the life of corrections officers gave a rare glimpse inside a closed world.

The state Department of Correctional Services graciously allowed a reporter and photographer to tour the prison and talk to officers and other staff members to get a picture of what transpires inside the towering walls.

It was an eye-opening experience.

I had never been inside a maximum-security prison and I had many misconceptions.

Foremost on that list was the belief that inmates are always in their cells. That's far from true.

I was surprised how many prisoners roamed the halls on their way to classes, the infirmary, work in the prison factory or other programs.

Many go from place to place without escort, handcuffs, leg shackles or any other restraints.

At one point, Superintendent Gary Greene and I walked alone in a dimly lit hallway, dozens of green-uniformed inmates filing past us with no officer in sight.

After a few seconds, I spotted the correction officer minding the group at the tail of the column. But before I saw him, as prisoners stared (some menacingly) at us, I asked myself, "What am I doing here?"

My fears weren't allayed much as we toured cell blocks.

Inmates stared blankly out from their cells, watching the visitors walk by. Most cell blocks have one officer stationed at a desk to mind 40 or so prisoners.

By the end of my first visit, which lasted about two hours, I felt more comfortable.

The prisoners and staff seemed to co-exist remarkably well. The atmosphere was much lighter and calmer than I'd thought it would be.

Most of the prisoners just want to do their time and move on, officers told me.

No one had attacked me, but I heard a number of stories from officers about inmate-on-staff violence.

One of the parameters of my visit was that I couldn't go in the prison's Special Housing Unit, where the inmates who cause problems -- the "worst of the worst," one guard said -- are held.

I did get to see their cagelike recreation "yards," though.

I was also amazed at the number of women inside.

Eleven female correction officers work in the prison, women among hulking rapists and murderers.

One female officer, Debbie Curcio, talked about how the prisoners treat her no differently than any other officer.

"Everyone's treated the same here," she said nonchalantly.

But women who work in a number of different programs also roam the halls, identification badges clipped to their clothes as they go to and from classes or other offices inside the walls. They seemed at ease.

Being inside gave me a newfound respect for what the officers inside a prison do.

Having covered the police beat here for over a decade, I've heard plenty of stories about prisoners stabbing guards, throwing bodily fluids at them or generally making life as difficult as possible.

I've also gotten to know quite a few officers, as have most residents of the area.

Who around here doesn't know a correction officer?

And I've seen them in action, escorting prisoners into Washington County Court for court cases focusing on prison assault or weapons possession.

But until you go into a facility like Great Meadow, and see how it all works, you just don't know.

Beyond bars and brawn

Mental health care can improve safety, state officials believe

FORT ANN -- The staff at Great Meadow prison is on the cutting edge of the state's efforts to improve care given to mentally ill inmates, which officials believe will make the prison safer.

The prison will soon be home to a new cellblock that will offer inmates with mental health problems more services.

The number of inmates needing mental health care in New York prisons has risen steadily in recent years.

Last year, 12 percent of prisoners in the state prison system received mental health care, a 59 percent rise from eight years earlier, said James Flateau, a spokesman for Department of Correctional Services.

The department's spending on mental health programs has more than tripled over the past eight years, including more training for prison staff and the assignment of more state Office of Mental Health staff members to the prison system.

"Mental health issues are going to be big for us in the future," said Gary Greene, Great Meadow's superintendent.

The 38-bed unit that will open at the Comstock prison next spring as part of a pilot program that officials believe will not only provide better care for prisoners, but make the facility safer for officers and inmates, Flateau said.

It will be used for inmates with disciplinary problems that prison staff deem to be the result of mental illness. Otherwise, the inmates would be sent to the prison's special housing unit, where they are locked in their cells 23 hours a day.

Greene said the inmates will have access to more counselors and more staff with special mental health training.

A similar, 32-bed unit will also open in maximum-security Sullivan Correctional Facility in Sullivan County. It will be used as a second phase for those who have completed the first phase at Great Meadow, Flateau said.

Richard Harcrow, president of the union that represents correction officers, said the union believes officers need more training in mental health issues.

"We have limited training in mental health issues," he said. "We need to get more people with this kind of training."

Experts debate why the number of inmates needing mental health care has risen.

Some say that many mentally ill people put on the street with the closing of state-run mental institutions in the 1980s and early 1990s wound up in state prison.

Flateau, though, said that the state institutions were closed beginning in the 1970s, so many of those let out would be in their 50s now. Only 9 percent of the state prison system's inmates are older than 50, he said. Glens Falls, page A4 (Full version)

Waiting for trouble

Guards stay on edge at Great Meadow, although attacks have fallen

Wilson Chapman has seen his share of violence during a 23-year career as a state correction officer.

One incident sticks with him, though.

It was the day in 1996 that an inmate knocked him unconscious in the Great Meadow Correctional Facility recreation yard during a melee.

"That was scary, to wake up and realize I had been knocked out," he said.

Attacks like the one that led to Chapman seeing stars aren't unusual.

Great Meadow had about one assault on a staff member every seven days last year, down about half from eight years ago. Similar drops have been seen across the state prison system.

The 568 inmate assaults on staff in New York prisons last year was the fewest since 1981, when the state prison population was about a third of what it is now, said James Flateau, a spokesman for the state Department of Correctional Services.

Corrections officials say there are a number of reasons for the drop.

Flateau said an increase in the number of maximum-security cells has freed up special housing unit space for those who misbehave. Inmates put in prison special housing units are locked up for 23 hours, and the use of such punishment has deterred would-be troublemakers, he said.

"The availability of these beds sends the message that misbehavior will immediately result in inmates being locked up," he said.

Flateau said a statewide push to prosecute more prison crime and a crackdown on gang activity have also played a part.

Greene said the law that made it a felony to throw bodily fluids at officers, enacted in 1996, has helped.

So-called "throwing incidents" have dropped by 45 percent since 1995, according to Flateau.

"That was fantastic for this department," Greene said. "It is one of the most disgusting things that can happen to a person."

Kevin Kortright, a Washington County assistant district attorney who specializes in prosecuting prison crimes, said he believes law changes and better technology for searching inmates and visitors have been effective.

But both he and Greene said the county's policy of prosecuting prison crimes has played a part in reducing problems in Washington County's prisons.

"The inmates know that in Washington County they'll get consecutive prison sentences for dangerous contraband or assaults," he said.

In some ways, life as a correction officer in a medium-security jail can be more dangerous than at a maximum-security facility.

Most of the state's medium-security prisons house inmates in dormitories, which don't have cells for locking up combative or troublesome prisoners.

In 1992, Washington Correctional Facility -- the medium-security prison across Route 22 from Great Meadow -- was the scene of serious unrest. Eventually, a team had to be sent in to quell an inmate strike.

"Maximum-security cell space is at a premium, so they take inmates that used to be in a max and put them in a medium(-security prison)," said Richard Harcrow, president of New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association, the union that represents state corrections officers.

State statistics for assaults on staff, though, show Washington has annually averaged about one-tenth the number of assaults on prison staff of Great Meadow.

Officers at Great Meadow say they know trouble can come at any time, and they have to be ready.

"Most of this job is just waiting for something to happen," said Sgt. Anthony Rodriguez.

Veteran officers use their experience to stop trouble before it happens. Gary Greene, superintendent of Great Meadow, said many can sense the change in atmosphere when trouble is brewing.

Harcrow pointed out that several correction officers in New York prisons had been seriously injured by inmates this year, including three who have been stabbed.

On July 24, an inmate in Attica strapped a 7-1/2-inch-long homemade knife to his arm and stabbed an officer five times.

In another case, a prisoner threw hot cooking oil in the face of an officer.

"A lot of times the public doesn't realize that these kind of things happen," Harcrow said.

BY THE NUMBERS

Assaults on staff by inmates, Great Meadow Correctional Facility

• 1999 -- 61
• 2000 -- 81
• 2001 -- 59
• 2002 -- 50
• 2003 -- 55
• 2004 -- 23 (through first half of year)

Assaults on staff by inmates in state prisons, statewide

• 1990 -- 1,260
• 1996 -- 890
• 2000 -- 695
• 2003 -- 568

Source: State Department of Correctional Services

One of the guys

Great Meadow's superintendent worked his way up

By DON LEHMAN
[email protected]

FORT ANN -- Great Meadow Superintendent Gary Greene has a good rapport with the correction officers who work for him.

That's because he's one of them.

Greene has worked his way up through the state Department of Correctional Services, starting as a corrections officer at Green Haven prison in Dutchess County in 1971.

The Queensbury native has been the superintendent of Great Meadow for 15 months, capping a career of working his way up through the system, from line officer to administrator.

Greene has worked in prisons around the state, from Coxsackie to Auburn to Marcy.

Greene walks the cellblocks and hallways of the aged prison with the confidence of an experienced officer. He seems to know the name of every employee in the sprawling complex as he escorts a reporter around. Inmates stop him to talk.

"This is kind of home to me," he says.

Relationships between prison administrators and the union that represents correction officers in New York aren't always warm and fuzzy.

But Bob Hartung, the union chief sector steward for correction officers at Great Meadow, said Greene's experience as an officer helps.

"We get along good with him. He worked his way up through the ranks," Hartung said.

Greene said he's seen the state prison system, and Great Meadow, change significantly for the better over the years.

In recent years, "unusual incidents" involving inmates -- including such things as weapons possession and assaults on staff -- have dropped dramatically at Great Meadow. The number of inmates being confined to their cells for disciplinary reasons has also dropped, he said.

The average officer at Great Meadow has nearly six years of experience, he said, and few officers transfer to other prisons because it's considered a good place to work.

Greene's hobbies include following NASCAR racing and tinkering with his Chevrolet Corvette but he says he has no plans to make more time for them anytime soon by retiring.

"I still like coming to work," he said. "This is a pretty good job. It's been good to me."

Something else to do

Jobs on the outside can be a stress-reliever

Need a carpenter, electrician, plumber or roofer?

You can find them all at Great Meadow Correctional Facility.

And that doesn't include the maintenance officers who keep the antiquated prison up and running.

One way correction officers at a maximum-security prison deal with the stress of being surrounded by felons all day is to seek part-time work on the side.

Many turn to trades they have learned over the years.

"You can find someone to do anything here, plumbing, carpentry, roofing," said Tom Jones, an officer for 23 years.

They say it gives them an outlet and keeps them connected to the community because their full-time job in the prison tends to isolate them.

Jones is among those who run a part-time contracting business on the side, JW Homes, which he says he plans to expand when he retires in a few years.

Many in the prison say they seek out their fellow correction officers for work when they have the opportunity.

"Officers support each other whenever they can," said Bob Hartung, union chief sector steward for corrections officers at Great Meadow.

That camaraderie also shines through in social settings. Officers often prefer socializing with each other because they understand the rigors of the job and the problems they encounter at home.

Gary Ouillette, a former Massachusetts correction officer who runs a program to help law enforcement officers cope with their stressful occupations, said it's common for correction officers to seek work outside, even though they often are required to put in overtime or work holidays in the prison.

"They need to find a way to channel that negative energy, and for a lot of them working outside the prison is a way to do that," Ouillette said.

Richard Harcrow, president of the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association, said he believes many seek side jobs because correction officer salaries in New York are below average.

But James Flateau, spokesman for the state Department of Correctional Services, said the nationwide average maximum salary for correction officers is $40,607, while the average officer in New York makes $41,652 after just five years of service.

Show no weakness

"The job of a New York state correction officer is not for the weak or meek," a union official said. It is one that weighs on the guards.

Think your job in the office is stressful?

Try moving your desk to the end of a cellblock with dozens of violent felons in cells -- some two to a cell -- just feet away from you.

That's where state correction officers like Bill Rogoza, Craig Granger and Dennis Scuderi spend their workdays, locked inside the myriad gates of Great Meadow Correctional Facility in Comstock.

There's no easy day inside the walls of a maximum security state prison.

It's a negative environment where men are caged for much of the day. Some spend their hours plotting ways to sneak in contraband, make a homemade weapon or attack a rival inmate.

Who's angry? Who has a communicable disease? Who's feuding with whom?

It's a job where there's "no end product," said 15-year veteran officer John Pruiksma.

It's a vocation that takes a toll on those who choose it.

Correction officers and the union that represents them say they have higher rates of divorce and shorter life expectancy than those in other careers, though data supporting those claims is scarce.

The last two years, 43 correction officers in New York have died, at an average age of 48.8 years, according to the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association, the union for state correction officers.

Their deaths came through natural causes, accidents and suicides.

Those figures do not include those who retired but died younger than the average U.S. male, pointed out Bob Hartung, union chief sector steward at Great Meadow. The average lifespan for a man in the United States is 71.8 years.

Hartung said most officers know of co-workers who died while employed in the prison or shortly after they retired.

"The job of a New York state correction officer is not for the weak or meek," he said.

Gary Ouillette, a former Massachusetts correction officer and nationally recognized expert on the effects of stress on law enforcement officers, said some studies have found the divorce rate among officers is double that of the general public.

"They're in an entirely negative environment for eight to 16 hours a day. That takes a toll," Ouillette said.

On the road

The trouble at home can start for officers during their first months on the job.

Most new correction officers start their careers at facilities far from home, wherever there are openings.

With the economy downstate healthier than upstate, jobs often open sooner at prisons closer to New York City, far from the upstate locales most officers call home.

It can take years for an officer to make his way to a prison where he wants to be.

For instance, Greene said, it typically takes about six years for an officer to find an opening at Great Meadow. That can take a toll on the family.

"A lot of guys have trouble with relocation," said Granville resident Mike Jones, an officer for 8-1/2 years who now works at Great Meadow.

Before he made it home to Great Meadow, however, Jones worked at Green Haven, Sing Sing and Bedford Hills prisons, all of them downstate.

Newer officers are often required to work night shifts and holidays since they have less seniority -- which can also lead to problems at home.

Others have to work extra hours to make ends meet, said Richard Harcrow, president of the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association.

"A lot of officers have to work overtime to make a living," he said.

He said in 2001-02, the last year he worked at Attica Correctional Facility, he worked 50 extra days.

Other issues weigh on the minds of officers.

Communicable diseases like HIV, hepatitis and tuberculosis can be found throughout the inmate population.

The negative public perception of the job of correction officer, and the public's lack of understanding of the difficulties of the job, is also difficult for officers, said Ouillette, the law enforcement stress expert.

Don't take it home

The key to keeping prison life from causing trouble at home is to leave what happens at work behind.

"If you don't, it will wreck your home life. It will eat you up," said Great Meadow correction officer Tom Somich. "Some people can do it, some can't. Everyone deals with it differently."

"Once you leave here at 3, you try to go home and put it aside," said 17-year veteran Shawn Dougherty of Fort Ann.

But that's easier said than done, said Harcrow, the union president.

Many spouses of correction officers have trouble understanding why their husband or wife is distant or in a bad mood, said the wife of a Great Meadow officer, who spoke on the condition her name not be used.

They don't know the issues that officers deal with on a daily basis, like the threat of communicable disease or violence by prisoners, she said.

She works in a non-security position at the prison, so she said she has a better understanding of what her husband does than most wives of correction officers.

"I've talked to a lot of wives and they ask me questions and I'll tell them, and they'll say 'He never tells me that,'" the woman said. "For a wife who has no idea what's going on, a lot of things run through her mind. I don't think the wives know what the husbands have to deal with here."

The most stressful situations are when officers are exposed to inmates where diseases can be spread, diseases that could then be given to family members. Many officers don't like to talk about those situations and tend to keep the uncertainty of the situation bottled up inside, she said.

"Sometimes you don't know you have it. All it takes is a little cut on your cuticle and an inmate bleeds on you or bodily fluids get on it," she said. "That's something a lot of people worry about."

Different jobs

Not all state correction officers have the same job description, said James Flateau, spokesman for the state Department of Correctional Services.

Some work on posts where they have little or no direct contact with prisoners, like those who man the guard towers or the gates and control rooms that inmates can't reach.

Those jobs seem to be less stressful.

"COs who work in non-inmate contact jobs suffer a lot less stress than officers working inmate contact posts," Flateau said.

How well an officer is able to withstand the rigors of the job is also dependent on "overall lifestyle" issues, he said.

"All that said, we believe CO is the toughest job title in the state of New York," Flateau said.

Help is out there

A number of places offer officers a place to turn for help in dealing with emotional problems or stress-related issues.

The goal is typically to ensure that officers having trouble get the assistance they need, whether for substance abuse, stress-triggered health problems or other counseling needs.

Bob Hartung said the union offers assistance through a number of programs and counseling services.

The state corrections department also makes efforts to direct those with stress-related problems to the agency's Employee Assistance Program, Flateau said.

Ouillette's program, Respond Law Enforcement Assistance Program, contracts with a number of corrections departments and law enforcement unions to provide help as well.

One of the problems is that officers work in an environment where asking for help is a sign of weakness, Ouillette said.

And showing weakness is the last thing a person working in a prison wants to do.

"Prison is a place where many believe you can't show weakness," he said.

Corrections officers seeking help with stress-related problems can contact Ouillette's program through his Web site, www.respondleap.com .

BY THE NUMBERS

State Correction officers inmate population ratio (approx.) attrition rate for officers

• New York 19,007 65,197 1 to 3 4 percent
• Texas 22,495 129,846 1 to 6 23 percent
• Florida 10,356 68,408 1 to 7 18 percent
• California 19,294 150,942 1 to 8 17 percent

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     Westchester County District Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced that former Sing Sing Correction Officer Quangtrice Wilson, DOB 9/14/72, of 920 Trinity Avenue, New York, New York pleaded guilty today to the top count of an indictment charging her with Bribe Receiving in the Third Degree and one count of Attempted Escape in the First Degree in Westchester County Court. Wilson is scheduled to be sentenced on October 28, 2004. She is the first defendant in this case to plead guilty. Wilson pleaded guilty to accepting several thousand dollars in bribes to assist in planning the escape of inmates, Nicholas Zimmerman aka Puzz, DOB 2/18/76, currently of Shawangunk Correctional Facility, Walkill, New York, and Steven Finley, DOB 7/7/77, currently of Sullivan Correctional Facility. Wilson provided detailed information on the physical layout of Sing Sing Prison, its operation and security procedures as well as information on officers� uniforms and employee identification cards. In addition, Wilson supplied contraband including three cell phones to these inmates. The inmates, Nicholas Zimmerman and Steven Finley have been indicted and charged with twenty-one counts, including Attempted Escape in the First Degree. Both inmates were immediately transferred from Sing Sing. The case stems from an investigation that began on May 7, 2003, when it is alleged that Tony Dubose, DOB 12/7/78, of 1240 Sutter Avenue, Brooklyn, New York, attempted to enter the Sing Sing Correctional Facility posing as a �new transfer� corrections officer. Dubose had been offered $15,000 in cash to carry out the escape plan by the other participants in the scheme. This defendant wore a fraudulent corrections officers� uniform and carried counterfeit identification credentials, including a fake correction officer badge. In addition, he carried a canister of aerosol pepper spray which is illegal to posses inside the facility. Dubose�s attempt was foiled when officials at the facility questioned his identity and his transfer claim. While Dubose was able to flee before being apprehended, he left behind a bag containing fake uniform items and the pepper spray. Corrections authorities immediately locked-down the facility and the ensuing investigation revealed two additional escape attempts to break-out two long-term inmates being housed at Sing Sing. Dubose is charged with Promoting Prison Contraband in the First Degree.

In addition to the May 7, 2003 attempt, it is alleged that on April 24, 2003, Jatanya Belnavis, DOB 5/8/75, of 240-06 142nd Avenue, Rosedale, New York, and a male accomplice (as yet uncharged) entered Sing Sing Correctional Facility wearing phony correction officers� uniforms and wigs. The pair carried a bag containing fake badges and identification cards for the inmates they intended to break-out of the facility. In addition, they possessed loaded 9mm and .38 caliber handguns. The attempt was aborted when Belnavis suffered a panic attack and had to exit the facility before the escape plan could be carried out. On May 6, 2003 another alleged attempt was aborted when the defendants, Belnavis, Alexander and possibly others realized that they were late arriving to the facility and had missed the shift change. In all three attempts, in order to carry out the escape plan, the defendants hoped to utilize the confusion of a change of shift when approximately 300 correction officers enter and exit the Sing Sing facility. Barry Alexander aka Sidiq, DOB 2/16/69, of 17 East 17th Street, Brooklyn, New York, and Latrina M. Boyd, (DOB 2/28/77) of 120 West 138th Street, New York, New York, have been charged with Promoting Prison Contraband in the First Degree for their roles in allegedly assisting the attempted break-outs. Boyd is alleged to have assisted in the escape planning as well as obtaining the bogus identification, badges and uniform items. Alexander, who assisted in the planning of the escape attempts, was allegedly present at the facility during the break-out attempts and brought a motorcycle to the vicinity of the correctional facility in the Village of Ossining to be used by the inmates to flee the scene once outside of the facility. However, on the morning of May 7, 2003, prior to the escape attempt that day, an alert Ossining police officer stopped Alexander and Dubose in the vicinity of the Sing Sing facility while they were moving the motorcycle. The officer questioned the two males and obtained NYS driver license and other pedigree information from them. The next day, after learning of the attempted escape at the facility, Ossining police contacted investigators of the New York State Police and advised them of the suspicious activity observed the day before and provided them the names and pedigree information of the individuals that had been stopped and questioned. This information was the break investigators were looking for. The investigation was conducted by the Public Integrity Bureau of the District Attorney�s Office in conjunction with the New York State Police and the New York State Department of Correctional Services Inspector General�s Office. Bribe Receiving in the Third Degree and Promoting Prison Contraband in the First Degree are both class �D� felonies punishable by a maximum of 7 years in state prison. Attempted Escape in the First Degree is a class �E� felony and is punishable by a maximum of 4 years in state prison.

     In compliance with Disciplinary Rule 7-107A of the Code of Professional Responsibility, you are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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Saturday, November 06, 2004

When Edwin Rodriguez began working at the Arthur Kill Correctional Facility in 1979, he wasn't afraid.

But 25 years later, staffing levels have dropped to an all-time low in the medium-security prison in Charleston, union officials claim, leaving Rodriguez and his colleagues fearing for their lives on every shift.

"Back then posts were filled and overtime was high as needed," said Rodriguez, a New Springville resident. "Security spoke, and the money was found to deal with security issues, as opposed to excuses."

Rodriguez was one of dozens of Arthur Kill correction officers who took to the street across from Borough Hall in St. George yesterday to protest what they call an unsafe staffing situation.

"If something goes wrong, we don't have enough people to respond," Rodriguez said. "They want to save in their pocketbooks and that's the bottom line."

STATEWIDE PROBLEM

Richard Harcrow, president of the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association, the correction officers' union, said staffing problems are not isolated to Arthur Kill, but exist at all state Department of Correctional Services prisons.

"We've got skeleton crews running the prisons," Harcrow said. "The thin blue line is stretched as thin as it could be."

At Arthur Kill, 306 officers -- up from 303 last year -- guard between 900 and 1,000 inmates, including murderers, rapists, child molesters and drug dealers nearing the end of their sentences.

In some cases, one officer is left to guard 60 inmates and in the yard, two officers may watch up to 300 inmates at once. Posts are often closed mid-shift, Harcrow said, sometimes leaving one officer in the yard. Also, shifts are not always covered when officers are on vacation or out sick.

The end result, Harcrow said, is increased incidents of violence between inmates and against officers.

Harcrow pointed to several violent episodes at Arthur Kill he said were directly related to staffing, including an attack on an officer in April in the prison dormitory; an assault by an inmate last year on three correction officers and a civilian employee in the infirmary, and the slashing of one inmate by another during a fight last year in a prison TV room.

ABSENTEEISM CITED

James Flateau, a Correctional Services spokesman, denies staffing is at an inadequate level, blaming the uncovered shifts on the officers themselves.

"Overtime and staffing at Arthur Kill prison would cease to be significant issues -- for taxpayers and employees -- if its correction officers simply came to work," he said.

Flateau said Arthur Kill officers will work an average of 165 days this year, while their counterparts across the state are projected to work 205 days, with officers at some prisons logging up to 218 days.

Overtime paid to Arthur Kill officers reached $1.3 million from April through October of this year, Flateau said, compared to $965,789 during the same period last year.

"State taxpayers have paid considerable overtime at Arthur Kill, much of it occasioned by staff absences," he said.

Arthur Kill "remains a safe and secure prison," he said, citing two inmate-on-staff assaults through last month, compared to four last year and 10 in 2000.

Last year, there were five inmate-on-inmate assaults, a decrease from 11 in 2000.

Flateau did have some praise for the correction officers.

"The largest difference between this year and last is the professionalism of the staff," Flateau said. "While contraband incidents totaled just six last year, staff vigilance has already contributed this year to the seizure of contraband in 20 incidents."

Still, the officers say they feel unsafe and place the blame squarely on the agency for not increasing staffing levels.

"You fear for your life because it is not safe," said Glen O'Gilvie of Stapleton, a correction officer at Arthur Kill since 1982.

"Anything can happen. There's no telling if you're going to come back out and the inmates know this. They know we are understaffed."

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By Amaris Elliott-Engel / The Citizen

After years of hiring freezes that brought complaints from correctional officers, the state prisons this fall have quietly started filling long-vacant position, including a number of posts at Auburn Correctional Facility and Cayuga Correctional Facility in Moravia.

Following the attrition of 1,144 state Department of Correctional Services staff statewide through retirement, disabilities, disciplinary actions and death over a four-year period, transfers by DOCS staff into vacant posts resumed at the beginning of September.

As part of those transfers, 13 positions were filled at the maximum-security Auburn Correctional Facility and 10 positions were filled at the medium-security prison in Moravia.

DOCS officials said the freezes were needed because the inmate population dropped, but the union representing the guards argued the state went too far.

"The whole process has been a very painful process," said Grant Marin, the western region vice president for the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association, the union representing corrections officers. "It's not a process I ever want to go through again. There have been recent hires, which is the step in the right direction. Adding new officers unequivocally helps us out."

The number of inmates in New York's prisons ballooned through the mid-1990s, and temporary DOCS positions were created to match the double-bunking required at many facilities.

But the state's inmate population has dropped by 6,800 since 1999, making double-bunking unnecessary and the temporary staff extraneous, DOCS officials said.

Beginning in 2000 correctional officers faced a freeze ordered by the Department of Correctional Services commissioner on their transfers into 36 medium-security and minimum-security prisons. Typically correctional officers are able to select preferred facilities based on their seniority level and can transfer into open vacancies.

Those 36 facilities were ordered to downsize staff levels to match inmate levels. Maximum-security prisons were not included in the freeze because only minimum-security and medium-security prisons were targeted for the downsizing at the time.

"We maintained at least minimum staffing levels (at the targeted minimum-security and maximum-security prisons). That was the whole point of the freeze was that we had too much staff," said Jim Flateau, a DOCS spokesman.

Cayuga Correctional Facility in Moravia was one of the facilities targeted for downsizing, and 420 bunks were vacated.

"The rule was that inmates had to go before staff," Flateau said. "So that at any time, Cayuga and other facilities had at least enough staff."

At the same time, 123 temporary excess officers transferred from the Cayuga facility into permanent positions at the Five Points maximum facility in Seneca County, which opened in 2000.

"It was serendipitous of the officers at Cayuga that Five Points was opening," Flateau said.

With the lifting of the freeze this year, Flateau said some officers temporarily assigned to Cayuga were able to transfer closer to home, leaving positions those open.

Despite the transfer freeze being lifted, DOCS is still down 307 officers statewide, but technically there are 503 permanent posts vacant because 195 officers have chosen not to leave their excess temporary positions, according to DOCS.

The freezing measure to eliminate excess staff out of the system led to the affected 36 facilities being "cut bare bones" in recent years, Marin said.

Marin said that during the freeze many facilities were kept below the levels guaranteed in the state budget. He said the union wants the state to fill the 307 vacant positions because safety is at risk.

"They will close multiple posts in facilities and just hope nothing occurs," Marin said. "The more officers you have in a facility the less likely management can engage in high risk post closing activities.

"We want the ability to protect our staff and protect inmates that we're charged with the care of. We're also interested in protecting the public; we don't want someone convicted of a serious crime getting out of a facility."

Of those DOCS staff leaving temporary positions and not having the seniority to get into their most desired facility, some have left for permanent vacancies that were not necessarily their first desire. Others have gone back to their permanent holds, the initial prison they were assigned into.

While DOCS employees may not be working in their ideal prison, Flateau said, the freeze was designed to prevent layoffs.

"We ensured every single employee had an option," Flateau said.

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