Department of Correctional Services
The enacted budget makes the following changes to the Executive Budget (analysis as of 4/2/2007):
- Adds $9.5 million to the department’s All Funds budget including an additional $10 million for personal services which is offset by cuts in non-personal services.
- Adds $7.5 million to the Program Services program including $7 million for personal services and $500,000 for supplies and equipment. The purpose of the additional funding and whether it will support additional positions is not explained in the enacted appropriation and should be clarified at Statewide Labor-Management.
- Cuts $2 million from the Administration program’s non-personal services appropriation with the largest cut in contractual services.
- Adds $4 million to the Supervision of Inmates program including $3 million for personal services and $1 million for equipment. The purpose of the additional funding and whether it will support additional positions is not explained in the enacted appropriation and should be clarified at statewide labor-management.
- Rejects the proposal to create a Prison Closure Commission.
The Senate recommends (analysis as of March 16, 2007):
- Cuts a total of $1 million in the State Operations budget which includes a $2 million cut in the non-personal service appropriation for the Administration program offset by an additional $1 million maintenance undistributed appropriation in the Supervision of Inmates program for correction officer equipment.
- Repeals provisions establishing the earned Eligibility Program in DOCS
The Executive Budget recommends (analysis as of February 6, 2007):
A FY 2007-08 workforce of 31,514 FTEs. This is a decrease of 53 FTEs from the adjusted FTE level for FY 2006-07, all of the decrease is in the Support Services program. The following chart identifies adjustments in current fiscal years FTEs along with the recommended differences in FY 2007-08 FTEs by program (if the FTE’s are the same the program is not listed):
Program
FY 2006-07 Adjustment
FY 2007-08 Difference
Program Services
+ 12
0
Health Services
+ 22
0
Supervision of Inmates
+ 124
0
Support Services
+ 25
-53
Administration
+ 16
0
- The total appropriation for Personal Service in SFY 2007-08 is $1.871 billion, a 13.8% increase from the personal services appropriation in the enacted SFY 2006-07 budget. The largest increase in personal service appropriations is in the Supervision of Inmates program which is due to the contract settlement last year between NYSCOBA and the State
- A total of 199 FTEs were added to DOCS during SFY 2006-07 based on the estimated FTE level in the SFY 2006-07 Executive Budget; most of this increase is due to the Legislature’s rejection of the closure of Camp Pharsalia. According to the Senate 18 FTEs were added in SFY 2006-07
- An All Funds increase of $258.148 million an 11.0% increase from the enacted SFY 2006-07 budget.
- No prison closures; however, a Prison Closure Commission is proposed. This Article VII bill will establish a commission similar to the Berger Commission to evaluate prison capacity in relation to inmate population trends, and to recommend a specific facility or facilities for closure. The commission will issue a report of its findings on or before November 1, 2007, and a second report on or before November 1, 2008. The commission will consist of eight appointees, four by the Governor and one by each legislative leader. None of the appointees can be a public officer, public employee, elected or political office holder, or a registered lobbyist. The commission is required to consult with affected public employees unions and communities before making their recommendations. The recommendations of the commission will be implemented unless rejected by the Governor or a majority vote of both houses of the Legislature.
- Large increases in the non-personal service appropriations for both the Health Services and Program Services programs. A significant portion of these large appropriation increases are for contractual services including a $15.5 million increase in Health Services and an $8.7 million increase in Program Services. These increases are not completely explained in the consultant contract employee report for DOCS as the total agency appropriation for such consultant contracts is only $6.59 million. It is possible that DOCS is using this additional contractual services funding to hire outside nurses, teachers, psychologists and/or drug counselors but not classifying them as consultant contract employees. This issue should be clarified at statewide labor management.
- An Article VII bill which would allow DOCS to incarcerate parole violators, relieving pressure on participating local jails. According to DOCS management this proposal could result in up to an additional 5,000 inmates/parole violators housed in DOCS facilities.
- An Article VII bill which would create a second commission of experts to conduct a comprehensive review of State laws governing how persons are sentenced to and released from prison, as well as a close examination of the use of alternatives to incarceration.
- The consultant contract report for DOCS shows that DOCS will spend an estimated $3.877 million on consultants in SFY2006-07 which will grow to $6.4 million in SFY 2007-08, a 65% increase. The number of consultant contract employees will decrease from 39 employees to 35 employees. The average cost per consultant contract employee will increase from $99,421 per employee to $182,633 per employee. An explanation of what these consultant contract employees are doing and why their costs are escalating in SFY 2007-08 should be pursued at statewide labor management.
- “Transforming existing facilities into transition centers, aimed at giving inmates the tools they need to succeed when released.” Work release will be a key component of this effort. According to the Senate, offenders would spend up to six months prior to their release working to return into the community. Access to services such as substance abuse treatment, suitable employment and adequate housing would be offered to enhance an inmate’s reintegration into the community. The re-entry transitional center proposal involves DOCS transforming existing facilities into transitional centers. Facilities which will be transformed into transitional centers were not identified in the Executive Budget. DOCS and the Division of Parole would coordinate their efforts to transition an inmate as their release date approaches.
- Strengthening the partnership between DOCS and the Division of Parole. “A through assessment will be made of the roles and responsibilities of these two agencies , to ensure that resources are invested in programs that result in the best outcomes for both inmates and the community”
- Expanding and enhancing services to prisoners with mental illness, in concert with OMH, including the development of a specialized residential mental health program as an alternative to placement in Special Housing Units. OMH’s budget includes 38 new FTEs for forensic services. According to the Senate and Assembly 71 FTEs in DOCS are attributed to this initiative. In order to implement this proposal the Executive proposes $8 million in Capital Funds to convert a 200 SHU-Block unit into a 100 bed residential mental health unit at the Marcy Correctional Facility.
- According to the Senate, $1.3 million in capital funds for improvements to employee housing are eliminated
Department of Correctional Services Program Details-State Operations Enacted Proposed Enacted Change in Percent Program 2006-07 Budget 2007-08 Budget 2007-08 Budget Appropriation Change All Funds $2,351,564,000 $2,609,712,000 $2,619,212,000 $267,648,000 11.4% General Fund $2,184,723,000 $2,447,404,000 $2,456,904,000 $272,181,000 12.5% Special Revenue-Federal $35,700,000 $36,800,000 $36,800,000 $1,100,000 3.1% Special Revenue-Other $850,000 $1,450,000 $1,450,000 $600,000 70.6% Enterprise Funds $59,046,000 $44,347,000 $44,347,000 ($14,699,000) -24.9% Internal Service $71,245,000 $79,711,000 $79,711,000 $8,466,000 11.9% Personal Services $1,644,597,000 $1,871,539,000 $1,881,539,000 $236,942,000 14.4% Contractual Services unknown $333,302,000 $331,676,000 Administration $65,589,000 $67,046,000 $65,046,000 ($543,000) -0.8% Personal Service $15,510,000 $15,663,000 $15,663,000 $153,000 1.0% Regular $15,549,000 $15,549,000 Temporary Service $114,000 $114,000 Nonpersonal Service $10,047,000 $9,651,000 $7,651,000 ($2,396,000) -23.8% Supplies and materials $503,000 $399,000 Travel $446,000 $354,000 Contractual services $7,844,000 $6,218,000 Equipment $858,000 $680,000 Attica State Employees Victims Acct -(GF) $2,000,000 $2,000,000 $2,000,000 $0 0.0% Special Revenue-Federal $35,700,000 $36,800,000 $36,800,000 $1,100,000 3.1% Special Revenue-Other $250,000 $250,000 $250,000 $0 0.0% Enterprise Funds $2,082,000 $2,682,000 $2,682,000 $600,000 28.8% Correctional Services - NIC Grants (SRF) $35,700,000 $36,800,000 $36,800,000 $1,100,000 3.1% Correctional Services Asset Forfeiture Acct (SRO) $250,000 $250,000 $250,000 $0 0.0% Employee Mess Correctional Services Acct (ENT) $2,082,000 $2,682,000 $2,682,000 $600,000 28.8% Personal Service $827,000 $827,000 Regular $827,000 $827,000 Nonpersonal Service $1,855,000 $1,855,000 Supplies and materials $600,000 $600,000 Contractual services $1,062,000 $1,062,000 Fringe benefits $167,000 $167,000 Indirect Costs $26,000 $26,000 Correctional Industries $71,245,000 $79,711,000 $79,711,000 $8,466,000 11.9% Internal Service Fund (ISF)