Correction Officers and civilian employees work in very dangerous environments. Closing correctional facilities throughout New York and consolidating prisoners, as planned by Governor Paterson, will only lead to increased stress and risk for employees, as well as the prisoners. Overcrowding creates dangerous situations in prisons; in addition, closing facilities will force families to relocate and will leave communities with a massive economic vacuum.

It also has been noted that criminals are being paroled early and let out onto our streets when they should be behind bars, away from our families. Gary Finch knows that we must keep dangerous criminals off our streets and do all that we can to rehabilitate and work with inmates to make sure they’re ready to re-enter the outside world as safe and productive citizens.