The Fortune Society Statement Regarding Tentative Deal To End Corrections Officers Strike

The Fortune Society (Fortune) issued the following statement in response to today’s tentative deal to end a strike by corrections officers at prisons around the state:

“The current state of catastrophe in New York State’s correctional facilities, and illegal strikes by state corrections officers, must not be resolved by undermining the law that bans the inhumane practice of solitary confinement. The protections of HALT have been put in place to safeguard human dignity without compromising accountability. This strike has led to the deployment of the National Guard and as of this writing, none of the roughly 33,000 people incarcerated in our 42 state prisons can receive visitors of any kind, including visits from legal counsel. Three people in custody have died since the wildcat strike began. As has been clear since the strikes started over ten days ago, and as reflected in the consent award, the law banning solitary confinement is one of the issues striking officers have pointed to as a reason for abandoning their posts, although this law has been in effect for nearly three years.

The timing of these strikes corresponded with the unsealing of the indictment of the officers involved in the death of Robert Brooks. The indictment represents an all-too-rare moment of accountability for what many of us, from our own experiences of incarceration, know to be normalized harm perpetuated against incarcerated people. Many of us at The Fortune Society and in the broader advocacy community have been behind prison walls ourselves. We welcome people home every day, as most of them do come home to their families and our communities. We know that their well-being, safety, and futures are relevant to all New Yorkers. And we will continue to champion their potential and humanity.

While the well-being of the people held at these facilities is at risk, the officers who continued to report to work during the unlawful strikes were forced to work double and triple shifts, in many instances unable to go home to their families. Overworked officers operating under extreme stress do not create a secure environment, just as incarcerated individuals cut off from their support systems are left even more vulnerable.

At the Fortune Society, we believe in solutions that prioritize safety, humanity, and rehabilitation. We work every day to help people who have experienced incarceration heal, reintegrate, and become productive members of society. But healing is impossible in a system that continues to inflict harm.

The answer to this crisis cannot be more isolation, more punishment, or a return to failed policies. It must be a commitment to meaningful reform—one that ensures incarcerated individuals receive humane treatment, that correctional staff have safe and manageable working conditions, and that we do not allow retaliation to circumvent accountability.

HALT Solitary was passed with overwhelming support from both houses of the legislature, and should not be negotiated away as the result of the Corrections Officers’ illegal strike. It is the law of New York State that reflects our collective will as a society that we will no longer tolerate the harm caused by solitary confinement.

Visitation must be restored immediately, and legal protections, including limits on solitary confinement, must be upheld. Instead of weakening these protections, we urge elected officials to focus on reducing the prison population. Passing reform measures like the Second Look Act, Earned Time Act, Youth Justice & Opportunities Act, and Fair and Timely Parole bills would provide relief to those serving excessive sentences. Many individuals have changed their lives while incarcerated and pose no threat yet lack a way to seek release. Creating pathways for early release makes prisons safer and reduces the need for them. We should not keep prisons full just for employment’s sake.

Our prison system should not be a battleground where incarcerated individuals and officers alike suffer the consequences of systemic failure. It also must not be a battleground where the human rights of people in custody are treated as bargaining chips. It should be a place where safety, rehabilitation, and dignity are at the core of its operation. At The Fortune Society we stand ready to be at the table as part of the solution.”