More than two thousand officers were fired after the unsanctioned, illegal walk-out more than a year ago across New York State prisons. A major point of contention is still the implementation of the HALT act. The state law restricts solitary confinement and mandates specific mental health protections within prisons and jails.The language in the HALT act describes incarcerated people living with mental illnesses as “vulnerable populations”.Those who’d like to see HALT repealed believe the term is too arbitrary.”I have no doubt that there’s populations that are incarcerated that have mental health challenges,” said Senator Dan Stec (R-45). “Now, with that said, there’s also people that have had those same challenges and have managed not to break the law and not to harm their neighbors.” Sheriff David Reynolds at Essex County Jail said addressing mental illness is more complicated than the state realizes. Particularly when it comes to the wide-range of individuals who could be held at the county jail at any given time.”It seems like the only place. New York State can figure out where to put people with mental health issues is in jail, and it’s not the place for them,” Reynolds said. “Everybody kind of lumps corrections together. But as a local correctional facility, we get anybody that goes to state prison before they go to state prison. Nobody just goes to the state.” Clinton County Sheriff David Favro said abuse in prisons before HALT was inexcusable.”I think most people would agree that locking somebody up in a cement box for 23 hours a day for years on end is inappropriate. That’s not a way to be able to reform any human being. You create a bigger problem,” said Favro. But at the same time, he believes there has to be a better way to address the ongoing issue. “I can’t tell you the manipulation that goes on in our jail,” said Favro. “The unfortunate thing with all of that manipulation that goes on is the people that have the true mental health or medical needs because now the broad scope is, ‘well, they’re all faking’. That’s not true.”Under the current policy – the only individuals eligible for confinement are those between the ages of 21 and 55, and without any mental health diagnosis.Reynolds and Favro said the definitions are too far open to interpretation. The sheriffs also said because of budget restraints they’re forced to choose between hiring mental health professionals while struggling with an officer shortage.”Here in our jail, I can clearly say the best person to assess vulnerable population is my officers. They’re standing there. They’re talking to these people. One on one. They’re listening to conversations that these people have. They can understand a little bit more of why they’re here, how they got here, who visits them, who doesn’t visit them,” said Favro. But local mental health professionals said it’s still a team effort. “There’s a lot of people in the jail that are helping support individual’s mental well-being. said Terri Morse, the Director of Community Services and Mental Health in Essex County. “We have to work together with any provider that can help support the psychological well-being of an incarcerated individual.” The act restricts segregated confinement to a maximum of 15 days. It also limits isolation to 17 hours in cells and provides all-encompassing rehabilitative programs.This is not always feasible for county jails due to staffing and cell capacity.”We’re being punished for mistakes that other places have made,” said Reynolds. “It makes it difficult because what fits in Essex County does not fit even in Clinton County.”
LEWIS, N.Y. —
More than two thousand officers were fired after the unsanctioned, illegal walk-out more than a year ago across New York State prisons.
A major point of contention is still the implementation of the HALT act. The state law restricts solitary confinement and mandates specific mental health protections within prisons and jails.
The language in the HALT act describes incarcerated people living with mental illnesses as “vulnerable populations”.
Those who’d like to see HALT repealed believe the term is too arbitrary.
“I have no doubt that there’s populations that are incarcerated that have mental health challenges,” said Senator Dan Stec (R-45). “Now, with that said, there’s also people that have had those same challenges and have managed not to break the law and not to harm their neighbors.”
Sheriff David Reynolds at Essex County Jail said addressing mental illness is more complicated than the state realizes. Particularly when it comes to the wide-range of individuals who could be held at the county jail at any given time.
“It seems like the only place. New York State can figure out where to put people with mental health issues is in jail, and it’s not the place for them,” Reynolds said. “Everybody kind of lumps corrections together. But as a local correctional facility, we get anybody that goes to state prison before they go to state prison. Nobody just goes to the state.”
Clinton County Sheriff David Favro said abuse in prisons before HALT was inexcusable.
“I think most people would agree that locking somebody up in a cement box for 23 hours a day for years on end is inappropriate. That’s not a way to be able to reform any human being. You create a bigger problem,” said Favro.
But at the same time, he believes there has to be a better way to address the ongoing issue.
“I can’t tell you the manipulation that goes on in our jail,” said Favro. “The unfortunate thing with all of that manipulation that goes on is the people that have the true mental health or medical needs [suffer] because now the broad scope is, ‘well, they’re all faking’. That’s not true.”
Under the current policy – the only individuals eligible for confinement are those between the ages of 21 and 55, and without any mental health diagnosis.
Reynolds and Favro said the definitions are too far open to interpretation.
The sheriffs also said because of budget restraints they’re forced to choose between hiring mental health professionals while struggling with an officer shortage.
“Here in our jail, I can clearly say the best person to assess vulnerable population is my officers. They’re standing there. They’re talking to these people. One on one. They’re listening to conversations that these people have. They can understand a little bit more of why they’re here, how they got here, who visits them, who doesn’t visit them,” said Favro.
But local mental health professionals said it’s still a team effort.
“There’s a lot of people in the jail that are helping support individual’s mental well-being. said Terri Morse, the Director of Community Services and Mental Health in Essex County. “We have to work together with any provider that can help support the psychological well-being of an incarcerated individual.”
The act restricts segregated confinement to a maximum of 15 days. It also limits isolation to 17 hours in cells and provides all-encompassing rehabilitative programs.
This is not always feasible for county jails due to staffing and cell capacity.
“We’re being punished for mistakes that other places have made,” said Reynolds. “It makes it difficult because what fits in Essex County does not fit even in Clinton County.”