Amid continued wildcat strikes by corrections officers in New York State prisons, officials announced a suspension of certain elements of the Humane Alternatives to Long-Term Solitary Confinement Act (HALT). The corrections department canceled all prison visits due to safety concerns, and the National Guard stepped in to manage staff shortages. This decision alarmed inmate rights advocates, as the law aims to limit solitary confinement but was deemed operationally unfeasible under current conditions according to Commissioner Daniel Martuscello III.
The state corrections commissioner, Daniel Martuscello III, announced that he was canceling specific elements of the HALT Act due to a state of emergency in prisons.
This unprecedented move to suspend portions of the Humane Alternatives to Long-Term Solitary Confinement Act has alarmed inmate rights groups amid widespread corrections officer walkouts.
As of Thursday, wildcat strikes had spread to 41 out of 42 New York State prisons, prompting the National Guard to intervene in staffing.
Martuscello emphasized that the suspension of HALT elements was necessary to ensure the safety of incarcerated persons and staff during the ongoing crisis.
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