ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Local officials are reporting a backlog of inmates at jails across upstate New York triggering a slew of problems for counties that do not have the space, staff or budget.

Local public safety officials are reporting a backlog of inmates at jails across upstate New York triggering a slew of problems for counties that do not have the space, staff or budget.

What You Need To Know

  • The DOCCS suspension of intake is creating a jail inmate backlog

  • Some sheriffs say the inability to transfer inmates to prisons from jails is a burden for jails and taxpayers 

  • The Department of Corrections says the suspension of intake will be reevaluated on April 21

Because of the 22-day correction officer wildcat strike that took place earlier this year, the New York State Department of Corrections is continuing to extend its suspension of intake. That means individuals who are ready to be transferred out of local jails and into the prisons cannot be moved. And that is creating its own set of problems in jails at the county level.

“It puts a tremendous unplanned burden on our staffing,” said Monroe County Sheriff Todd Baxter. He says there are currently 130 incarcerated individuals are the Monroe County Jail in Rochester that should not be there. They should be in a state penitentiary.

“So when people get sentenced to New York State Prison, they most often go through the county jail to go to the prison," Baxter said. "Maybe they're still in custody at the county jail. They were convicted of a felony crime, and they get sent to prison. So, they stay with us, and we process them. It takes about a week to process them out and deliver them to the Department of Corrections."

It’s when they become what’s known as state-ready. But the Department of Corrections stopped taking those individuals at least until April 21, when it says it will reevaluate.

“So this is compounding right in front of us, which is an additional strain on us that we didn't expect to have," Baxter said. "It was not budgeted for. It wasn't prepared for in manpower studies or anything like that, housing areas. It's causing quite a burden on the sheriff's office."

And a burden for taxpayers at both the county and state levels. Monroe County taxpayers are forking over $35,000 a day for the excess inmates.

The state is reimbursing counties $100 a day for each incarcerated person it houses.

“But it's way more than that," Baxter said. "It's over $300 a day for us to house a person. So, when you take that 100 off, I mean, we still got 200, $250-day county taxpayers are footing the bill for. That's coming straight out of my budget."

That is not counting the deputy overtime.

“This reimbursement is insufficient to cover the cost of incarcerating many of these individuals," Erie County Sheriff John Garcia says.

He says the Erie County Jail has more than 100 individuals who are currently ready to be transferred into DOCCS custody.

It is a statewide issue as the ripple effects of the strike continue to roll on. The Monroe County jail typically transfers about 18 individuals each week to the state prison system and is about to hit a backlog of 150 state readies.

Despite that, the sheriff says his deputies continue to maintain a safe environment inside the jail.

"They keep a good jail," Baxter said. "They make it safe and secure. Even when we got 150 extra people we never expected. They're willing to work those extra shifts. They're getting it done right. I'm overly impressed with them all the time.”

There are 850 people incarcerated at the Monroe County Jail.