Requires Prison Closing: Blast Pataki's Plan For Sex Offenders

Requires Prison Closing
Blast Pataki's Plan For Sex Offenders

GOVERNOR PATAKI: Idea draws union heat. Governor Pataki last week announced that his executive budget will include funding for a $130 million facility to support the civil commitment of sex offenders upon their release from prison - a move that quickly drew fire from the union representing Correctional Officers.

The money will be used to demolish the minimum security correctional prison at Camp Pharsalia in upstate New York, and a state-of-the-art 500-bed facility at the site will be developed in its place.

'Keep Them Off Streets'

"Today, there are 5,000 sexual predators awaiting release from New York's prisons," Mr. Pataki said in a statement. "We must do everything in our power to keep those who still represent a danger off our streets, out of our neighborhoods, and away from our children."

But an official from the union representing the 62 state Correctional Officers currently working at that facility said the union was opposed to the move. "We laud the Governor for his attempt to protect the citizens of this state from sexual predators by taking this type of initiative," said Dennis Fitzpatrick, the spokesman for the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association. "However, we are adamantly against any closures that will affect our membership."

Last year, Governor Pataki proposed shuttering Camp Pharsalia and several other Department of Correctional Services prisons, asserting that they were no longer needed due to the reduction in prisoners in recent years.

NYSCOPBA officials persuaded the State Legislature to keep the facilities open.

According to the Pataki administration, the new facility, which is scheduled to open in 2009, will employ more than 1,000 state workers and will have an annual payroll of approximately $80 million a year when fully operational. It will be used solely to house sex offenders.

Since 1998, the Governor has proposed civil confinement legislation which would enable the state to commit sexually-violent offenders. But the State Legislature has not agreed on an acceptable version of that bill.

Mr. Fitzpatrick said it was unclear what would happen to the Correctional Officers currently working at the center and which agency would be in charge of the new facility. "The closest facility is about 60 to 70 miles away," he added, referring to possible transfer locations.