Since the beginning of 2022, the 25,000 inmates who are confined in more than 44 New York State jails run by the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) have been faced with strong changes in the protocols for the delivery of packages by their relatives.
And this Tuesday, after denouncing that the prohibitions and limits that the prisons have imposed so that inmates receive customary parcels, dozens of relatives of inmates and community advocates demonstrated in front of Governor Kathy Hochul’s office to demand that she reverse the changes.
Puerto Rican Jeannie Colón, who has her husband, José Colón, in prison for 24 years in jail in Sing Sing, upstate New York, pleaded very sad and upset with the change in policy that prohibits people from sending food packages to incarcerated family members directly, and limits the number of personal packages that can be received to two per year.
The community leader called on Governor Hochul and the State Department of Corrections to remove the new protocols from the map, which were imposed, as he mentioned, under the excuse that the packages received by the inmates encouraged the smuggling of prohibited items.
“That is a big lie, because the packages that we took to our loved ones always went through a thorough review. Contraband is entering in other ways that should be investigated, going to the root of the problem and not punishing our families and prisoners,” said Colón.
“Sometimes they don’t have toilet paper, they don’t they have soaps, they need healthy and nutritious food, and by limiting the packages that we can deliver to them, their needs will increase, and everything will be more expensive for us with astronomical prices charged by the few approved providers,” denounced the Hispanic .
“They are doing business with the dignity of our people and by the way they are ending moments that unite us, For example, when I went to buy things for my husband, we always talked. That no longer exists and with the companies to send the packages, everything is very expensive and it is not enough for me.”
Agirah Stanley, director of the organization Alliance of Families for Justice, who was imprisoned in prison of New York, described the ban on delivering packages to inmates as an unfair act that discriminates against those most in need.
“Packages for our people in prison are an act of survival. It is unacceptable that these limits have been created and that is why we demand that Governor Hochul end these prohibitions today and say no to vendors,” the activist commented. “We are already with many loads and we cannot pay the costs charged by those companies. Many families don’t have credit cards to order online and others don’t even have internet. The Governor must understand that when we talk about prisons we are talking about families with the lowest incomes in the communities.”
The young woman also criticized the DOCCS for trying to justify the change in the protocols and limits of parcel deliveries to internal traffic of non-permitted products.
“When you take something to the prisons, the packages are already inspected from top to bottom. There are dogs even checking our private parts and now they are going to say that contraband is coming in with those packages. They have X-rays, use them. They have eyes, noses, hands and intelligence to check packages. They are just excuses and lies to say that contraband enters that way,” added the former prisoner. of inmates are not going to allow New York prisoners to limit a basic right to receive parcels.
“I come here to speak loud and clear: Governor, packages cannot be limited. You cannot come to deny the nutrition that the inmates deserve. My detained husband suffers and needs tomatoes, vegetables and healthy food that they don’t receive in prisons,” said the woman, who added that her pocketbook can’t handle the new protocols.
“In addition to sending packages to our people with the new policies, through companies, means more money and is going to make things more difficult for the most needy people, like me, because I can’t pay for those shipments now, so we need them to return the parcels, as before, already,” added Grady.
The demonstration in front of Governor Hochul’s office coincided with a series of similar protests that took place in other corners of the state of New York such as Long Island, New York , Westchester, Albany, Syracuse and Buffalo, where more than 100 families pressured the president to revoke new packet delivery protocols.
Veronica Finnerman, from the organization New Hour for W omen and Children Long Island stated that the packages have a quality of life meaning.
“I spent three years incarcerated hundreds of miles from my family. They couldn’t visit me. I depended on my care packages every month to survive. State food is hardly decent for human consumption. The commissioner is incredibly expensive and does not have what we need”, assured the former inmate, warning that the new regulations have a stronger impact on women.
“Women and pregnant people are affected disproportionately by this ban. Now I am a mother and I cannot imagine being incarcerated and pregnant. The package ban does not affect the amount of contraband entering prisons,” the woman added. “We all know where the contraband comes from, and not from packages. We are all human beings, mothers and women who deserve basic human rights”.
Jerome Wright, co-director of the #HALTsolitary campaign stated that the denial of packages violates principles and rights.
“Why are we going down this road again? ? Packages are essential for physical, mental and emotional sustainability. Placing this additional burden on the family and friends of those incarcerated is unconscionable and criminal,” said the activist.
Anthony Bibbs, of the Center for Community Alternatives foundation, who was at the rally in Syracuse , said that packages are essential to survive in prison.
“The packages complement the terrible, often inedible, food in prison. They make sure you have toiletries and can keep yourself clean. Without packages, you have to beg other people to meet your basic needs, which is difficult to do in prison”, commented Bibbs.
“As a result of these baseless prohibitions, families will be forced to use price gouging vendors to send food to their loved ones. The availability of food is extremely limited and cannot be adapted to the nutritional, religious and cultural needs, ”said the Coalition of families, through a statement. “Fresh food can spoil during transit, denying incarcerated people access to healthy food.”
Protesters highlighted that in addition to the financial cost of the new protocols, there is an emotional burden and damage with the prohibition of packages, as well as on the damage to the health of incarcerated people.
They also denounced that in 2017 former Governor Andrew Cuomo tried to implement similar prohibition actions, but had to stop them.
At the close of this edition, neither the Office of Governor Hochul nor the State Department of Corrections had issued a statement on the claims of the families of the inmates.
NY State Prisons in Numbers
- 44 There are state prisons in the state of New me rk
- 30,832 was the average prison population until last June
- 003. 2 years is the average time detainees have been imprisoned
- 9,004 inmates have between 18 Y 20 years
- 4,215 internal have between 003 Y 24 years
- 3 , inmates have between 25 Y 29 years
- 3,023 inmates have between 30 Y 34 years
- 2,534 inmates have between 35 Y 39 years
- 1,081 inmates have between 40 and 44 years
- two,346 interns have between 45 Y 49 years
- 1,746 inmates have between 50 Y 54 years
- 1,660 inter They have us between 54 and 59 years
- 2,155 prisoners between and 64 years
- 65 inmates have 65 years and older
The new package delivery rules
- 2022 the new protocols of delivery of packages to inmates
- 2 are the limit of occasions per year inmates may receive clothing packages
- 34 maximum pounds is the weight allowed of each of these remittances
- $18 dollars, according to fa military, intermediary companies charge for a bag of soaps
- 2017 on Governor Cuomo attempted to make similar changes
- Food packages can no longer be delivered directly but purchased through suppliers