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New York’s correctional facilities are in a state of absolute chaos. Every day, our correctional officers walk into a battlefield, overworked, understaffed and left defenseless by Albany’s reckless pro-criminal agenda. Assaults on prison staff have skyrocketed. There were 1,760 attacks in 2024 alone, yet Gov. Kathy Hochul and her liberal allies refuse to act. Instead, they double down on failed policies like bail reform, Clean Slate and the HALT Act, which have made our communities less safe and our justice system a disgrace.
This crisis is not accidental. It is the result of deliberate, soft-on-crime policies that embolden violent criminals while tying the hands of law enforcement. The HALT Act has been one of the worst policies to come out of this state in years. By restricting the use of disciplinary measures against violent inmates, HALT has given dangerous criminals the freedom to terrorize prison staff and inmates with little to no consequences. Even inmates themselves have admitted in letters that the system is out of control. But where is Gov. Hochul? Where are the Democrats who claim to care about public safety?
They are nowhere to be found.
Instead of fixing this disaster, Albany’s liberals continue to pander to the most radical fringes of their party, doubling down on disastrous policies like bail reform and the closure of prisons across the state.
Democrats in Albany have made a conscious decision to side with criminals instead of the men and women who keep our communities safe. They have gutted our criminal justice system, stripped our officers of their ability to do their jobs and turned New York into a haven for lawlessness.
Gov. Hochul has been anything but helpful through this crisis. No support for our correctional officers, no acknowledgment of the crisis, no solutions—just a message to, “go back to work.”
Well, we are done waiting.
I am calling on every town, city and village in New York state to take a stand and pass a resolution supporting our correctional officers and demanding the immediate repeal of the HALT Act. If Albany won’t act, then the people of New York will.
This is a fight for public safety. If we allow our prisons to descend further into chaos, that violence will spill out into our communities. What happens inside our correctional facilities does not stay inside the walls, it impacts every single New Yorker. We must send a message to the governor and to Albany’s radical leadership. We will not tolerate their reckless policies any longer.
Gov. Hochul, the time for excuses is over. Do your job, repeal HALT and start protecting the men and women who put their lives on the line every day. The people of New York are watching. We will not forget who stood with law enforcement and who stood with criminals.
Assemblyman David DiPietro represents the 147th Assembly District, which includes parts of Erie and Wyoming counties.
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