NY State Incarcerated Have Been Quarantined Since March 14, with No Visits Allowed and Only 1 Mask.
Contact Governor Cuomo to Allow Visits NOW
NYSDOC issued a new policy for visits. NYSDOC should NOT be allowed to make guidelines and follow them as they see fit. Officers are Not wearing masks. Offenders are have been given 1 mask. Officers are NOT required to be tested. They will NOT test an offender unless he/she shows symptoms. The fact is offenders have been quarantined since March 14, 2020. At this point the ONLY way an offender can contract COVID-19 is from the officers and staff. Just as they want everyone out here to get a COVID-19 or antibody test, they should be doing the same in prisons for both offenders and staff.
They are using COVID-19 as a tool to deter visits. For example, they “cancelled” a Christian festival. No visitors. But the offenders were allowed to go to the mess hall and eat together. If an offender is in Clinton, a family member will have to travel 10 hours round trip for a 2 hour visit? A child won’t be allowed to touch his mom or dad? A mom can’t touch her son or daughter? Spouses can touch each other? No FRP, when that is the easiest place to disinfect for the next visit? There are measures that can be implemented such as visitors being required to present proof of a negative result for COVID-19. Remember, these guidelines are for Phase 3.
Of course, there should be masks. Of course, there should be social distancing. Of course, there should be temperature checks. But this goes too far. It is punitive. I am not going for it either. I will be contacting my elected officials. If this is important to you, I encourage you to do the same. I have also contacted The Alliance of Families for Justice (347 973 0580). They said they want to hear from families. They are in the process a preparing letter to DOCCS and Governor Cuomo.