Prison Visiting Project

In 1846, the New York State Legislature passed a law granting the Correctional Association of New York the authority to visit prisons throughout the state and to issue reports of findings on conditions to policymakers.

The Prison Visiting Project is the arm of the Correctional Association that carries out this unique legislative authority. Each month, the Correctional Association visits one of New York’s 70 state correctional facilities, branching out to all corners of the prison including cellblocks and dormitories, classrooms and industry shops, psychiatric units, medical clinics, protective custody and disciplinary housing. We interview inmates, correction officers, teachers, counselors and medical staff. We communicate our findings to facility superintendents in debriefing sessions at the end of the visit and through written reports copied to the Commissioner of Department of Correctional Services (DOCS) and high-level state policymakers.

The Prison Visiting Project (PVP) devotes its resources to the following areas:

• Prison Monitoring—Visiting prisons and issuing reports on general conditions.

• In-depth Issue Reports—Conducting studies on specific corrections issues and publishing comprehensive reports of findings and recommendations.

• Policy Development—Working with legislators, corrections officials, former prisoners, service providers and community organizations to develop more humane prison policies.

• Raising Awareness—Educating the public about prison conditions, the high cost of incarceration and the need for alternatives.