S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                        7407--A
                              2015-2016 Regular Sessions
                                 I N  A S S E M B L Y
                                      May 8, 2015
                                      ___________
       Introduced by M. of A. JOYNER -- read once and referred to the Committee
         on Correction -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted
         as amended and recommitted to said committee
       AN  ACT  authorizing  a  study  by  the  New  York  state  department of
         corrections and community supervision to study the treatment of  aging
         prison populations and make recommendations for ensuring humane treat-
         ment of such populations
         THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section 1. The department of  corrections  and  community  supervision
    2  shall  undertake  a study of the treatment, conditions and prevalence of
    3  aging prison populations and what plans, if any, such department has  to
    4  provide  for this increasing segment of the inmate population. The study
    5  shall include but not be limited to the following:
    6    (a) a profile of the current elderly inmate population and  statistics
    7  relating  to its demographics including length and type of sentence, age
    8  at parole eligibility, race, gender, region  of  commitment,  commitment
    9  crime and any other data that may describe such population;
   10    (b)  projected  inmate  populations  for  elderly inmates for the next
   11  five, ten and twenty years;
   12    (c) factors contributing to the growth in the number and proportion of
   13  elderly inmates;
   14    (d) whether, and to what extent, older prison  populations  are  being
   15  provided  with  adequate  or  specialized  housing,  medical  care,  and
   16  specialized programs that respond to their unique needs and vulnerabili-
   17  ties, such as the need for wheelchair  accessibility  or  accommodations
   18  relating  to diminished mental or physical capacity, including a profile
   19  of such housing, medical care and programs currently provided to elderly
   20  inmates and a projection of such provisions that will  be  needed  five,
   21  ten and twenty years hence;
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD10541-02-5
       A. 7407--A                          2
    1    (e) provision of specialized training for corrections officers working
    2  with older inmates including what training is currently provided; and
    3    (f)  a  profile  of  classification  and  facilities  assigned to such
    4  inmates including what institutional oversight, if any, exists to ensure
    5  the welfare of older inmates within each correctional facility.
    6    S 2. The department of corrections  and  community  supervision  shall
    7  make  a  report  to  the governor and the legislature of the information
    8  required under section one of this act, its  findings  and  conclusions,
    9  and any legislative recommendations it deems necessary no later than one
   10  year after the effective date of this act.
   11    S 3. To the maximum extent feasible, the department of corrections and
   12  community supervision shall be entitled to request and receive and shall
   13  utilize  and be provided with such facilities, resources and data of any
   14  court, department, division, board, bureau, commission or agency of  the
   15  state  or any political subdivision thereof as it may reasonably request
   16  to carry out properly its responsibilities pursuant to this act.
   17    S 4. This act shall take effect immediately.