Correctional Association of New York Releases Report from Monitoring at Albion Correctional Facility
Monitoring Visit to Albion Uncovers Continuing Reports of Abuse at Women’s Prison, Substandard Quality of Services
NEW YORK, NY — Following a June monitoring visit to Albion Correctional Facility, one of three women’s prisons in New York State, the Correctional Association of New York (CANY) released a report finding a prison severely lacking in infrastructure, struggling to meet basic the facets and needs of incarcerated individuals, and continuing to grapple with reports of sexual harassment and assault at the women’s prison, in tension with the department's claim that Albion is ‘an example of why New York is a leader in the corrections field.’ The report’s release comes on the heels of a civil suit filed by at least 750 people who, under the Adult Survivors Act, allege they were sexually abused while incarcerated in New York State prisons.
At Albion, CANY designees interviewed 85 incarcerated individuals, met with elected representatives of the incarcerated population, and met with executive leadership of the prison, medical, mental health and other staff on site. CANY found that women and transgender and gender non-conforming individuals incarcerated at the prison lived in an environment characterized by a fear of sexual harassment or assault, racialized abuse, and/or other verbal or physical abuse. A lack of access to basic needs and services including food and medical care compounded a substandard daily life at the prison. The prevalence of reports indicating an abusive environment at the prison are alarming: 25.8% of individuals interviewed reported having seen or been personally subjected to sexual abuse or sexual harassment by staff, 43.3% reported having seen or experienced racialized abuse by staff at Albion, and 30 individuals reported having been targeted for harassment, verbally abused, or physically assaulted by staff.
As a result, and in line with recommendations made by CANY in a 2006 report on sexual harassment and assault at Albion, CANY recommends the department continues to invest in trauma-informed practice and training to all staff, increase accountability for staff engaged in abusive behavior, expedite the installation of stationary cameras at the prison, and deploy body worn cameras.
Post-Visit Briefing and Recommendations Report
No.22-08: Monitoring Visit to Albion Correctional Facility | June 22-23, 2022
