Mapping Closures, Capacity, Staffing, and the Evolving Landscape of NY's Prisons

Driven by criminal justice reforms enacted over the past two decades, New York’s prisons are operating well under capacity and, like prisons across the country, strained by staffing shortages. The map below (1) provides a snapshot of the most recently available population, capacity, and staffing level data for operational prison facilities and (2) illustrates where recent prison closures have occurred. The map also places prisons in context by indicating county-level population data. 

As of February 2024, prisons were 72% full when considering total beds versus total population. As of January 2023, 9% of DOCCS positions were vacant, with the most significant vacancies concentrated in health services (25%), support services (19%), and program services (17%). Staff required for the direct supervision of incarcerated individuals had a vacancy rate of 5%, which, while lower than the vacancy rates for civilian staff positions, represents a higher number of vacancies overall and impacts operations across all areas of a given facility.  

The impacts of staffing issues, though uniformly challenging, manifest differently across prisons. Operations can vary from one prison to another due to several factors, including security level. Some prisons also have units and programs for people with specific needs and/or classifications. The table below displays operational prisons along with a partial list of their specialized populations and/or units, including mental health, medical, and disciplinary units. The table also includes information about each prison’s hub, security level, neighboring facilities, capacity, and staffing levels.  

In the past ten years, the number of prisons in the state has decreased by 26%, while the prison population has dropped by nearly 50%. The line graph below charts changes in the prison population in relationship to the closure of 15 prisons since 2014. 

For information on the Governor’s recent proposal and CANY’s position, read our testimony to the Joint Legislative Budget Hearing on Public Protection.