Caucus Chair Michaelle Solages and Senator Julia Salazar respond to the Reports Regarding NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision

New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) released independent reports regarding the current state of Correctional Facilities in New York State. This was done in response to the unjustified murder of Robert Brooks in December of 2024 and an illegal strike conducted by 10,000 correctional officers in the following months. The following is a statement from Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages and Senator Julia Salazar regarding the report: 

“The independent reports released this week on the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision confirms what many of us have feared since the killings of Robert Brooks and Messiah Nantwi. These were not isolated acts by a few bad actors. They were the predictable result of a system with insufficient training, weak accountability, and staffing levels that have collapsed even as reported uses of force have tripled over the past decade.

The release of these independent reports are an important step. We appreciate Governor Hochul and DOCCS for honoring their commitment to make the findings public following the murder of Robert Brooks and the killing of Messiah Nantwi, and for beginning to act on several recommendations.

The numbers in this report are stark. In 2025 alone, DOCCS received nearly 1,200 excessive force complaints, and fewer than 50 were substantiated. Of the abuse cases that went to arbitration in recent years, not one termination was upheld. That is not accountability. That is a system that cannot discipline its own workforce even when it tries to.

These findings are echoed in DOCCS' own internal review of staff conditions. Chronic understaffing, low morale, and unresolved trauma have placed significant strain on the workforce. Addressing these challenges requires investing in recruitment, retention, training, and wellness, while expanding recruitment into communities disproportionately impacted by mass incarceration to build a stronger, more representative workforce.

These reports are direct about what comes next. Real accountability will require us to act legislatively, and our caucus intends to take it seriously. We will also continue to push for advancing broader reforms, including the Fair and Timely Parole Act, the Elder Parole Act, the Second Look Act, and the Earned Time Act.

In the coming weeks, our members will be reviewing the report's 57 recommendations in detail. Our caucus welcomes input from constituents, advocates, and DOCCS staff as this work moves forward.”