Local advocates push for prison reform bills to protect inmates and reduce sentences

Local advocates pushing for prison reform to protect inmates

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ROCHESTER, N.Y. – A local grassroots organization, Center for Community Alternatives, is advocating for the passage of three prison reform bills aimed at protecting inmates.

The bills, known as the 2nd Look Act, the Earned Time Act, and the Marvin Mayfield Act, seek to reduce the time incarcerated individuals spend in prison. They have garnered support from Sen. Samra Brouk and Assemblymen Demond Meeks and Harry Bronson.

“The first bill is the Marvin Mayfield Act that gives judges discretion to sentence people more appropriately,” said Thomas Gant, a former state prison inmate and current advocate with the Center’s Communities Not Cages campaign.

Gant explained that the 2nd Look Act allows individuals who have served 10 years to petition for resentencing before a judge. The Earned Time Act expands existing good and earned time credits in prisons, allowing prisoners to earn credits towards reduced sentences.

Melanie Bishop, whose son is incarcerated, expressed hope for the Earned Time Act. “[My son] hopefully would qualify for the Earned Time act where he could actually have access to programs,” said Bishop. “He’s been incarcerated for five years and not been able to get into any type of drug treatment program or anything like that. Because he’s got too much time left on his sentence.”

Assemblyman Demond Meeks, a co-sponsor of the Marvin Mayfield Act, emphasized the need for judicial discretion. “Certain crimes call for a mandatory minimum. And, that’s something that we’re looking to give judges more discretion in that space,” said Meeks.

The Department of Corrections & Community Supervision did not comment on the pending legislation but stated they are enhancing prison security with body-worn cameras, increased contraband security, and more corrections officers. You can read their full statement below.

The Department is also collaborating with the prison reform group Amend to reduce the U.S. prison population.

DOCCS: The Department does not comment on pending legislation. We can share with you updates and ongoing changes to improve the safety and security of DOCCS correctional facilities.

To support staff and incarcerated individuals and ensure the success of individuals returning to their communities, we are implementing the following measures:

Recognizing the importance of reducing violence and increasing accountability and transparency, in this year’s Enacted Budget the Governor invested an additional $418 million, resulting in an investment of over $830 million, to expand fixed and body-worn cameras to all DOCCS facilities.
The Department has fully implemented body-worn cameras in all 42 DOCCS facilities and is aggressively working with the Office of General Services to accelerate the installation of fixed cameras, which have proven to reduce violence, making facilities safer for staff and the incarcerated population while holding people accountable for any wrongdoing.
The Governor has also committed $7 million to reorganize and expand the capabilities of the DOCCS Office of Special Investigations (OSI) with a focus on both data analytics and expanding the unit’s capability to proactively identify potential risks.
The changes to OSI include the creation of a new division called the “Public Integrity Division” (PID) focused on allegations of staff misconduct, especially use of force and sexual assault of an incarcerated individual.
PID has two dedicated units, the Special Victims Unit (SVU) and Major Case Unit (MCU), to handle sexual assault cases and serious physical abuse cases, respectively.
OSI continues to ensure meaningful implementation and compliance with the federal Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) through the Public Integrity Division’s collaboration with the Sexual Abuse Prevention and Education Office (SAPEO).
The Department will hire additional investigative staff and implement a new medical review team while leveraging technology to improve outcomes for our stakeholders.
These and other proposed changes are evidence of the Governor’s commitment to improving OSI’s ability to meet its mission and mitigate safety and security risks for staff and the incarcerated.
DOCCS retained WilmerHale law firm to conduct a review of patterns and practices at Marcy, Mid-State, and other DOCCS prisons, following the Robert Brooks and Messiah Nantwi tragedies. WilmerHale served as counsel to the Working Group on Police Reform, Racial Justice of the US Conference of Mayors, and prosecuting cases involving use of force in prisons.
DOCCS has also entered into an agreement with Amend, a public health and human rights program, that will be assessing the safety and cultural issues within our facilities.
The Department is also collaborating with Chicago Beyond on holistic safety and the enhancement of the facilities’ safety and operations for staff and the incarcerated population.
Contraband, such as drugs and weapons, also contribute to violence in prisons. The Department has also deployed 88 body scanners across the state for use on visitors, the incarcerated and staff.
In addition, to aggressively battle the introduction of contraband , DOCCS implemented a multi-layered approach:
All regular mail sent to the incarcerated population is copied and then delivered to the individuals.
The Department has also implemented a new system-wide legal mail screening process. This process allows us to screen all legal mail for contraband before it is opened.
To further enhance safety and security, DOCCS implemented the vendor package program upon recommendation of the Prison Violence Task Force, which members of NYSCOPBA sit on, that sought to improve facility security for staff and incarcerated individuals by addressing the significant increase in the number of packages found to contain contraband drugs and weapons. The program has been very successful in reducing the amount of contraband found in incoming packages from 920 package room recoveries in 2020 to 34 recoveries in 2024, a 96 percent reduction.
The DOCCS Office of Special Investigations (OSI) K9 unit has also been expanded and is used successfully to prevent contraband entering the state’s prisons.
Phone calls and visits with family also contribute to safer conditions inside prisons, and DOCCS has taken several steps to improve safety inside, including bringing visitation back on weekends at all correctional facilities. In addition to weekend visitations, Bedford Hills, Green Haven and Shawangunk Correctional Facilities also opened visits on Wednesdays. As staffing improves, more opportunities for visits will be added to the schedule. Also, the Family Reunion Program has resumed at Bedford Hills, Fishkill, Green Haven and Shawangunk Correctional Facilities.
Here is a link to our recent phone calls policy change. Phone calls help maintain family bonds and support while incarcerated and then when released back to the community.

To combat the staffing shortage, we are aggressively recruiting for Correction Officers. DOCCS and New York State have taken a number of steps to increase recruitment numbers:
·After extensive analysis and site visits, the Department of Civil Service authorized, and the Division of Budget approved, a one-grade pay increase and a statewide Geographic Pay Differential of $5,000 for all Correction Officers and Sergeants. They also approved a $5,000 Geographic Pay Differential for Lieutenants. The approval was effective May 22, 2025 (Administration) and May 29, 2025 (Institution). This approval recognizes the important work performed by our staff and the critical need to retain our current staff and recruit the next generation of correctional professionals.
The Department has contracted with Office of General Services (OGS) Media Services on a large-scale recruitment campaign featuring a multi-channel approach, including social media, multicultural digital, streaming audio, video and static ads to better familiarize the public on DOCCS’ mission. The campaign went live in February 2025 targeting upstate NY community college campuses and military bases.
DOCCS has increased the current advertising expenditure and has entered into a new multi-year contract with a vendor with correction-based recruitment experience.
We now have a Statewide Recruitment Unit, social media accounts (NYSDOCCS-Recruitment), and a recruitment center in Destiny USA mall in Syracuse.
The Department launched an advanced placement initiative to attract applicants with Correction Officer experience at a pay rate commensurate to their experience.
The Fiscal Year 2026 Enacted Budget includes allowing 18-year-olds to apply for the position of Correction Officer with the following stipulations for those under the age of 21:
They will be restricted from certain roles that generally require more experience, such as roles that require a firearm or those involving unsupervised contact with incarcerated individuals.
There are restrictions on carrying firearms, conducting incarcerated individual transfers, or having close contact with incarcerated individuals for their first year and a half.
There are new reporting, enhanced training, and mentoring requirements for these younger officers.
The Enacted Budget also allows for out-of-state residents to apply to become a Correction Officer in New York State.
We have also launched regional recruitment in the following counties: Greene, Seneca, Cayuga, Oneida, Franklin, Dutchess, Chemung, Ulster, and Clinton.
On July 10, 2025, Commissioner Martuscello issued a memo announcing a new Labor Management Agreement (LMA) with NYSCOPBA, three MOAs with NYSCOPBA and Council 82, and one MOA with CSEA and PEF. These agreements included the following recruitment and retention initiatives that were supported in the budget:
Correction Officer Reassignment Program (LMA – NYSCOPBA) – To build on the success of the Department’s Regional Hiring Recruitment Initiative, which has been expanded to nine counties providing direct placement to 20 facilities, the Department engaged NYSCOPBA on moving the Department to a statewide regional recruitment and hiring model. As part of this effort, six regions have been established for the regional hiring initiative. Prior to CO Recruit’s assignment within their selected region, Central Office will consult reassignment lists to ensure and protect existing reassignment rights and to increase opportunities for current COs to reassign to their preferred work locations.
Correction Officer Sign-On Bonus (MOA – NYSCOPBA) – Newly appointed CO Trainees will receive a $3,000 one-time lump sum bonus that shall be paid in two installments. The first $1,500 shall be paid upon successful completion of their on-the-job training and the second $1,500 upon the successful completion of the 52-week probationary period.
Retention Bonus (MOA – NYSCOPBA/Council 82, MC) – COs, Sergeants, Lieutenants, and Captains who successfully complete 25-29 years of creditable service will receive a one-time lump sum bonus of $1,000. COs, Sergeants, Lieutenants, and Captains who successfully complete 30 years or more of creditable service will receive a one-time lump sum bonus of $5,000.
Pay Differential for College Degree (MOA – NYSCOPBA, C82, MC) – Eligible COs, Sergeants, Lieutenants, and Captains will receive a one-time lump sum pay differential of $250 for an Associate Degree, $500 for a Bachelor’s Degree, and $750 for a Master’s Degree or higher.
Civilian Correction Institutional Differential (MOA – CSEA, PEF, MC)– DOCCS civilian staff serving in titles allocated to salary grade 5 up to and including salary grade 23, whose official workstation is a correctional facility, shall be paid a salary differential at the rate of $1.00 per hour for the first 40 hours worked of their regular scheduled work week.
As a result of these recruitment efforts, DOCCS has seen a 160% increase in individuals taking the CO exam. As DOCCS continues to aggressively recruit the next generation of correctional leaders and rebuild our security staffing numbers, facilities will be able to resume more of its regular operations.