Attica Correctional Facility recently concluded a 10-day lockdown prompted by a series of violent incidents.
A correction officer was assaulted and suffered multiple stab wounds, along with attacks on other staff members. According to the state, the disturbance originated from a confrontation between two inmates.
Throughout the lockdown period, correction officers meticulously conducted searches across the maximum-security prison on inmates, cells, and various sections to recover contraband.
Kenny Gold, the vice president of NYSCOPA Western Region, emphasized the inherent risks associated with any contraband present within the correctional facility. This includes substances like drugs and weapons, which pose significant challenges for the personnel operating within the prison’s confines.
Gold drew attention to the surge in criminal activities within prisons, attributing it to the impact of the HALT Solitary Confinement Act. He stated that the legislation, by limiting repercussions for inmates, has contributed to an environment where assaults on officers and illicit drug-related activities can occur without adequate consequences.
Advocates supporting the HALT Act maintain that prolonged solitary confinement stays are inhumane.
Gold also highlighted a concerning trend of increasing retirements and resignations among correction officers, leading to a staffing crisis and longer working hours.
Data from the NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) reveals a significant spike of 96 percent in the number of attacks in New York prisons from 2013 to 2022.
Gold said that they truly believe, as they have stated repeatedly in press releases, that someone is going to be killed. They express that they feel as if nobody is listening and that nobody cares. He added that if someone were to die tomorrow, they believe that it would be perceived as status quo, and there would be no changes in the department.
Although the lockdown has been lifted at the Attica Correctional Facility, the DOCCS has confirmed ongoing collaboration with state police to conduct an investigation into the assaults.
Source: https://13wham.com/news/local/lockdown-at-attica-prison-lifted-following-string-of-violent-incidents