Correctional Association of New York Releases Analysis of Prison Grievance Data
Data Review Highlights Opportunities to Strengthen Vital Complaint Mechanism
New York, NY – A new analysis issued by the Correctional Association of New York (CANY) sheds light on the Incarcerated Grievance Program (IGP) in New York’s prisons.
Designed to ’provide each incarcerated individual an orderly, fair, simple, and expeditious method for resolving grievances pursuant to Section 139 of the Correction Law, and allegations of discriminatory treatment, pursuant to Part 7695 of Title 9, NYCRR,” the IGP was established to address complaints and concerts of incarcerated individuals following periods of uprising and unrest at Attica and other state prisons.
CANY’s analysis of departmental data on the IGP includes a review of the number of grievances filed over time by category and subcategory, the grievance filing rates by facility, the outcomes and resolution rates of filed grievances by facility, and the response times to filed grievances by facility.
Key findings include:
High Number of Grievances Filed: Over 20,000 grievances are filed annually, with the most common complaints related to medical care, staff conduct, and special housing units.
Variation in Filing Rates: Filing rates differ significantly by facility, with maximum-security facilities having the highest rates.
Delays in Response Times: A large percentage of grievances exceed established time limits for response at both the Incarcerated Grievance Review Committee (IGRC) and superintendent levels.
Inconsistent Outcomes: Favorable resolution rates vary drastically between facilities, with some facilities resolving almost no grievances in favor of the incarcerated person.
For example, for maximum-security prisons, the favorable resolution rate at Auburn is reported at 49.9% to 1.4% in comparison to 0.4% at Five Points and Sullivan, respectively.
For medium-security facilities, favorable resolution rates ranged from 34.3% to 0%, with Cayuga reporting the highest resolution rate. Four facilities (Altona, Cape Vincent, Franklin, and Riverview) favorably resolved none at all.
Potential Retaliation: A high number of grievances withdrawn at some facilities may suggest intimidation or fear of retaliation.
The analysis of data follows the release of CANY’s report titled “Smoke Screen:” Experiences with the Incarcerated Grievance Program in New York State Prisons, which reviewed the responses collected from a system-wide survey of incarcerated individuals regarding the prison grievance process. CANY will release a comprehensive set of recommendations later this year to address the issues identified. The recommendations will focus on solutions to reduce grievance response times, improve consistency in grievance outcomes, and ensure a safe environment for incarcerated individuals to raise concerns.
"The Incarcerated Grievance Program is a vital mechanism for addressing complaints and resolving issues in prison, ," said Jennifer Scaife, Executive Director at CANY. "Our analysis of DOCCS’ data raises questions about how well the system is functioning in light of the stated goals of providing a fair and expeditious review of grievances. We look forward to presenting recommendations which we think could help restore confidence in the IGP ."
Full Data Analysis Available:
The complete report, including charts and graphs, is available on the CANY website at correctionalassociation.org/grievance-data
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.