June 25, 2020: New York, New York
The Release Aging People in Prison Campaign released the following statement in response to exclusive coverage by the New York Daily News that Governor Andrew M. Cuomo plans to turn Adirondack Correctional Facility into a prison nursing home, putting incarcerated elder New Yorkers at serious risk of death:
“Governor Cuomo is creating a prison nursing home that amounts to a ticking time bomb and potential public health catastrophe for incarcerated older New Yorkers, their families, prison staff, and the outside local community. Just two days ago, a federal prison less than one mile down the road from Adirondack Correctional Facility reported five new COVID-19 cases. If just one single COVID case makes its way into Adirondack, the impact will be devastating and fatal.
Locking up older and sick people who have already served decades in prison serves no public safety benefit, keeps families apart, costs millions of dollars, and promotes the systemic racism that the whole world is rising up against in this very moment. This is clear, and the Governor should act immediately by granting clemency to every person incarcerated at Adirondack. If the Governor doesn’t step up, then State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie must take immediate action by passing Elder Parole and Fair and Timely Parole to ensure that everyone at the facility has a fair and meaningful opportunity for release before it’s too
late.”