State Sen. Salazar reports prisons recurrently denying visits over erroneous scans

Reports are emerging of a sizable increase in complaints over NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) staff denying prison visits with little transparency.

- By Tandy Lau Amsterdam News staff

The Office of Brooklyn-based State Sen. Julia Salazar, who chairs her chamber's Crime Victims, Crime and Correction committee, told the Amsterdam News it received around 50 similar reports from New Yorkers across the state over the past four to six months.

Families and friends of incarcerated individuals report correctional facilities turning them away under accusations of smuggling contraband picked up on screening machines but were not criminally investigated further despite the serious allegations. Many were later suspended from returning.

"Contact visits are incredibly important for incarcerated individuals and their loved ones," said Salazar in a statement emailed to the AmNews. "And so I'm concerned by what appears to be an increasing pattern of facilities denying, and even suspending, people's ability to visit based on arbitrary body scan analyses. In many cases, the scans show menstrual products, scars from surgery, medical devices, piercings, or natural skin lumps.

"In some instances, radiologists have confirmed there is nothing suspicious on the scans. I strongly urge DOCCS to end this practice of denying what can be lifesaving visits for incarcerated people from their family, loved ones, and friends."

These reports follow DOCCS slashing weekday visits earlier this year as state prisons faced upheaval from an illegal corrections officer strike and Marcy Correctional Facility staff murdering incarcerated individual Robert Brooks on camera.

Almost anyone can visit someone in prison, given their permission. Specific DOCCS programming like the Family Reunion Program allows families to meet in a more private setting with personal contact.