Open Government Week: CANY Releases Updated Dashboard, Pushes for Laws Enhancing Transparency
Update includes latest information on Under Custody Population, Unusual Incidents and Deaths in Prisons
NEW YORK, NY – In conjunction with Open Government Week, the Correctional Association of New York (CANY) announced today an update to its dashboard of administrative data, which provides the public with vital information about the state's prisons. The update includes data on incarcerated individuals under custody through April 2024, deaths in prisons through March 2024, and unusual incident reports through December 2023.
This initiative aligns with CANY's core mission of promoting transparency and accountability within the correctional system. In addition, CANY supports several pending legislative measures designed to further strengthen these goals.
Enhanced Public Access to Prison Data: The updated user-friendly dashboard offers statewide and facility-specific data on the incarcerated population, deaths in custody, and unusual incidents. This update is part of a larger effort to make public essential prison data, encompassing safety records, violence and use of force incidents, educational and vocational program availability, staffing levels, grievances, and more. Regularly updated with additional datasets throughout the year, the dashboard leverages the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) to fill data gaps.
Advocating for Regular Data Access: To maintain data transparency through independent oversight, CANY is urging for the passage of Bill A.6489-B (Weprin)/ S.312-B (Salazar) to solidify regular data access on state prisons.
Supporting the Transparency of Deaths in Custody: A new bill, A.7854-B Epstein / S.7607-B Salazar, aims to require the state to publish notices of in-custody deaths online. This bill, originally proposed by CANY, would not only inform the public but also potentially lead to safer prisons by fostering accountability. By following the lead of other states who publicly disclose this information, New York would take a step towards promoting accountability and potentially lead to safer prison conditions by enabling organizers and policymakers to advocate for improvements.
About CANY
CANY, under §146, of New York’s Correction Law, is charged with visiting and examining the state's correctional facilities to identify and report on prison conditions, the treatment of incarcerated individuals, and the administration of policy promulgated by the executive and legislature. Founded in 1844 by concerned citizens of the state and deputized by the state to provide monitoring and oversight of the state’s prisons in 1846, CANY is one of the first organizations in the country prescribed to administer civilian oversight of prisons.