2007 NYSAC Press Releases
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New State Law Helps Reduce the High Cost of Recidivism and Increase Public Safety
July 22, 2007
With the escalating costs of housing inmates in county jails becoming a growing challenge for local budgets and property taxpayers, a new law that aims to reduce the rate of re-incarceration is welcome news to the New York State Association of Counties.
The new measure, Chapter 355 of the Laws of 2007, ensures that individuals released from local and state correctional facilities have access to health care treatment and mental health services—two of the tools they need to stay out of jail and become productive members of their community. The law suspends Medicaid benefits for prisoners, as has been the practice in New York State, but reinstitutes the coverage once the individual is released from state prison or the local jail.
“This is a victory for the state and county criminal justice partnership that is designed to help break the vicious cycle of repeated incarceration,” said NYSAC Executive Director Stephen J. Acquario. “It costs considerably less—in taxpayer dollars and in social capital—to provide health care treatment and mental health services than it does to fund the revolving door of recidivism into our county jails.”
The costs for housing an inmate in a local correctional facility range from $291 per day in New York City to more than $100 per day for counties outside New York City. Additionally, counties house approximately 250 individuals awaiting transfer to state prisons (state readies) and the City of New York houses another 350 state readies in their facilities at any given time, representing an additional $38 million in annual expenses for counties.
Until this law passed, when an individual entered local and state correctional facilities in New York State, their Medicaid benefits were terminated in an effort to prevent fraudulent claims. They would then have to reapply for benefits upon release from jail, a process that can take as long as two to three months. By "suspending" rather than "terminating" Medicaid benefits, inmates would have Medicaid coverage at the moment of release, which would facilitate immediate access to the drug treatment, medical and mental health care services that are critical to their success in the first 30, 60 and 90 days after release.
“This is a good piece of legislation—it reduces the burden on local property taxpayers and it helps released prisoners reenter their communities,” said NYSAC President Lucille M. McKnight, an Albany County Legislator. “In many cases these individuals need some sort of health care treatment or mental health services as soon as they are release as a way to help them get their feet back on the ground and become productive members of society.”
The bill supports NYSAC’s priority to promote a state-county partnership for improving the reentry process for those released from local jails or state prisons, which includes assessing the current offender transition system and developing greater capacity to assist an offender’s reentry through monitoring initiatives and access to public education programs.
The New York State Association of Counties is a bipartisan municipal association serving all 62 counties of New York State including the City of New York. Organized in 1925, NYSAC’s mission is to represent, educate and advocate for member counties and the thousands of elected and appointed county officials who serve the public.
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Media Questions
For more information about NYSAC, our advocacy efforts or specific reporter requests or questions, contact Mark LaVigne or call NYSAC at 518-465-1473.
2007 Press Releases
- Albany County Executive Michael Breslin Receives Excellence in Leadership Award--June 20, 2007
- NYSAC to Host Municipal Energy Coalition's Bid Opening for Renewable Energy Credits-- June 19, 2007