An independent review of New York’s prison system is calling for sweeping changes across the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS), concluding that many of the challenges facing the agency are systemic rather than isolated to a single facility.
The nearly 300-page report, conducted by law firm WilmerHale, was commissioned following a series of high-profile events involving the state’s prison system, including the deaths of incarcerated men Robert Brooks and Messiah Nantwi, as well as the illegal correction officer strike that disrupted prison operations across New York in early 2025.
Investigators found a workplace culture where misconduct was at times tolerated, while accountability and oversight were inconsistent…