Referred to: The Law Enforcement and Public Safety Committee (Chairman Uchitelle and Legislators Hansut, Heppner, Hewitt, and Lopez), and The Ways and Means Committee (Chairman Gavaris and Legislators Cahill, Fabiano, Ronk, and Walter)

Legislators Joe Maloney and Laura Petit offer the following:

WHEREAS, Ulster County presently authorizes the transfer of incarcerated individuals from correctional facilities outside of Ulster County to the Ulster County Jail and the County, in turn, is paid a per diem rate for each out of county incarcerated individual housed at the jail; and 

WHEREAS, the practice of housing federal incarcerated individuals at the Ulster County jail in recent history has created major gang related issues presenting logistical hurdles with regards to housing, feeding and transporting as well as physical health dangers to county employees and incarcerated county residents; and

WHEREAS, the revenue/fee generated from boarding out of county incarcerated does not necessarily cover transporting, feeding, and accrued overtime costs incurred; and

WHEREAS, a model of incarceration-for-profit approach to our Ulster County jail is morally and economically defunct of logic; and

WHEREAS, to promote the safety and welfare of the incarcerated individuals and county employees at the Ulster County Jail and to effectively decrease the number of incarcerated individuals housed in the Ulster County jail, the Ulster County Legislature hereby determines it appropriate and necessary to establish a policy prohibiting the transfer of incarcerated individuals from correctional facilities located outside of Ulster County, unless such a transfer is mandated by the New York State Commissioner of Correction or a Court of competent jurisdiction; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, the transfer of incarcerated individuals from county and federal correctional facilities located outside of Ulster County to the Ulster County Jail is hereby prohibited unless such a transfer is mandated by the New York State Commissioner of Correction or a Court of competent jurisdiction; and, be it further

RESOLVED, the effect of this “No More Incarceration for Profit Policy” shall take effect immediately upon adoption,

and moves its adoption.

ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

AYES:                     NOES:               

Passed Committee: Law Enforcement and Public Safety on _____________.

Passed Committee: Ways and Means on _____________.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

TBD