The New York State prison system utilized a faulty drug test that resulted in 1,652 incarcerated people being wrongfully punished, including with solitary confinement, longer prison terms, and ban on family visits, according to a new report from the state inspector general released Tuesday.
One woman at Albion Correctional Facility near Rochester who falsely tested positive for synthetic cannabinoids was confined to her cell for 40 days and punished with an additional 45 days in solitary confinement. She lost her prison job, couldn’t use the phone for 105 days, and wasn’t allowed to accept packages. Her three children were forbidden from visiting.
In a press conference on Tuesday, Inspector General Lucy Lang said that the problem with the tests was compounded by the fact that employees from the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision along with the drug testing company, Microgenics Corp., failed to follow rules on the procurement of the testing equipment and the administration of the tests. As a result, incarcerated people were wrongfully punished at prisons throughout the state during eight months in 2019.
For the rest of this story, visit Gothamist.com.