The Suffolk County Jail is struggling to accommodate 125 felony inmates who were supposed to be transferred elsewhere. It appears that the state government is responsible for these delays, leading to significant chaos, as reported.
Governor Cathy Hochul of the county has criticized the state’s approach to housing prisoners, arguing that it’s leaving staff in precarious situations while taxpayers are facing increased costs, potentially reaching hundreds of thousands.
“These individuals have been convicted and ought to be in state prisons, not stuck here because the state isn’t taking them,” Romain mentioned in a statement.
He also questioned, “Why is the state not taking them now?” Adding that Hochul’s administration has laid off 2,000 corrections officers to improve working conditions and has closed multiple facilities statewide.
According to state law, inmates sentenced to severe penalties should be transitioned to state prisons within ten business days. However, Romain indicated that this has changed due to conflicts between the Corrections Officers Union and the governor’s office.
He claimed this situation is creating complications throughout the prison system, affecting both management and the inmates themselves.
Most detainees in the county jails, particularly in Riverhead and Yaphank, are either awaiting trial or have been accused of minor offenses. Now, they find themselves housed with convicted felons who were meant to undergo a different processing path.
Romain has expressed concerns that the arrival of these 125 felons has heightened safety risks and management challenges for staff.
In a letter to Governor Hochul in May, he emphasized, “Our prison staff is already stretched thin. We know the state is facing similar staffing issues, but it’s unfair to shift this burden onto the county with little financial support.”
The state’s Department of Corrections and Community Supervision has responded, attributing the staffing backlog to the firing of 2,000 officers who participated in an unauthorized month-long strike in March.
Romain countered that this understaffing crisis shouldn’t be solely Suffolk’s problem.
“The law states that once they are deemed state-ready, these inmates should be in state facilities, not local ones,” he noted.
While New York State offers Suffolk $100 per day for each inmate in county jail, Romain indicated that the county is actually spending approximately $250 per day per inmate.
He stated that since February, the county has incurred over $280,000 in expenses to accommodate these prisoners under circumstances that are beyond their control.
With more inmates in custody, the demand for security personnel also rises.
Romain cautioned that ongoing backlogs could result in dangerous overcrowding, potentially undoing efforts the county has made to improve jail conditions.
“This is not a long-term sustainable situation,” he concluded.
