Lawmakers seek probe of suicides at Bedford Hills Correctional

New York State Sen. Pete Harckham and Assemblymember Chris Burdick have sent a joint letter  on March 6 to the state’s Department of Corrections and Community Supervision calling for an investigation into recent suicides at the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility.

Harckham and Burdick expressed concern about the conditions and treatment of incarcerated individuals after the March 4 death of 60-year-old Manuela Morgado. Morgado’s death was the third at the facility — and the second suicide — in a four-week period.

“A large percentage of the women incarcerated at the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility suffer from mental health issues,” Burdick  wrote. “This recent and alarming spate of suicides is tragic, and what is most tragic is that they may have been preventable. There is an urgent need for an independent, dispassionate investigation that delves into the quality of care for those suffering from mental illness, and whether there are conditions at BHCF that aggravate such illnesses. I believe this investigation would best be performed by DOCCS.”

“The well-being of individuals within correctional facilities is the responsibility of the state government, and we must ensure that people in our custody are treated fairly and humanely,” Harckham said. “Reports that individuals are being denied access to basic services and are confined to their cells for excessive periods are deeply troubling. I hope DOCCS will investigate these matters thoroughly so that we can identify solutions and prevent further tragedies.”

The Correctional Association of New York has reported that suicides in state correctional facilities have increased in recent years. The organization attributes part of the rise to staffing shortages related to last year’s correction officers’ strike, which has reduced access to medical and mental health services as well as recreational programming.

During a visit to the facility Dec. 15, the legislators also met with members of the facility’s Incarcerated Liaison Committee. While the committee echoed some of the concerns raised by the Correctional Association, they also pointed to significant changes in their schedules and privileges following the arrival of a new deputy superintendent of security as a factor contributing to declining mental health among incarcerated individuals.

When Harckham and Burdick pressed facility administration about the complaints from the ILC, they were told that the measures were meant to be temporary and were only in response to recent violent outbursts from a small group of incarcerated individuals. However, a New York Focus article published March 5 said the restrictions were still in place as of three weeks earlier.

According to the legislators, individuals are now required to sign up in advance for all out-of-cell services, including showers, kitchen access, phone calls, and laundry. That resulted in individuals spending significantly more time confined in their cells, which has a serious impact on their mental well-being. The legislators are urging DOCCS to investigate the deaths and take appropriate action to prevent similar tragedies in the future.