BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — In the New York State budget that passed in Albany earlier this month, lawmakers voted to give Governor Kathy Hochul "final approval" to close up to three state prisons.
With that green light, the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision now says it will begin a formal review process.
That announcement came in a video update from DOCCS Commissioner Daniel Martuscello. He said his office will analyze each facility, but did not provide a timeline for when any closure decisions may be made.
Earlier this week, Governor Hochul defended her decision to possibly close prisons.
"We may need to do some consolidation because we have a severe shortage of corrections officers," she said. "The unauthorized wildcat strike that went on for 22 days, resulting in people violating the law and losing their positions, added to an already untenable situation where we had over 2,000 people who were out on various health leave. So we have a crisis in staffing."
The governor and the DOCCS commissioner both maintain that the budget approves up to three prison closures, but the final number of facilities shut down may be less.
In February, corrections officers across the state took part in a wildcat strike over what they claimed were unsafe working conditions inside state prisons.
On March 10, DOCCS Commissioner Martuscello announced the strike was over and the over 2,000 people who remained on strike and did not return to work received termination letters. At the time, the commissioner said there were over 10,000 security staff working or available to work in prisons across the state.
WATCH: NYS DOCCS: Corrections officer strike is over; more than 2,000 officers terminated
The 7 News I-Team took a deeper look into the impact strikes had on staffing levels earlier this week. Through an official Freedom of Information Law request, the 7 News I-Team learned more than 500 prison staffers, statewide, resigned between February and April of this year. Many of those resignations came during or after the strike. You can read more here.
In April, 7 News obtained a memo in which DOCCS announced it would release some inmates early in response to the "current staffing crisis."
Days later, NYSCOPBA began calling for an "urgent meeting" with DOCCS over "critical workplace issues."
A few weeks later, Gov. Hochul announced she was looking to change the age requirement for corrections officers from 21 to 18. According to the Associated Press, State lawmakers approved the measure, and Gov. Hochul is expected to sign it into law.
Earlier this month, DOCCS announced a pay increase was on the way for correction officers, sergeants and lieutenants.
