INVESTIGATION FINDS CHRONIC COMPLACENCY AND SYSTEMIC FAILURES OF SECURITY PROCEDURES AT CLINTON CORRECTIONAL FACILITY LED TO THE ESCAPE OF TWO MURDERERS
Any One Of More Than 400 Compulsory Checks In Months Leading To Escape Should Have Foiled The Convicts’ Plans; Pre Escape Inspection Of Richard Matt’s Cell Failed To Find The 18-By-14 Inch Hole Cut In His Cell’s Wall
Recommendations Include Strict Compliance And Monitoring Of Security Procedures And Expanded Use Of Cameras And Other Electronic Detection And Monitoring Systems; Restructuring Of The Prison System’s Internal Affairs Division; And Creation Of An Inspector General Audit Team To Monitor Security Procedures At All State Prisons
ALBANY – New York State Inspector General Catherine Leahy Scott today released an investigative report that found chronic complacency, complicit employees and myriad failures of even the most basic security procedures at the Clinton Correctional Facility that led to the June 6, 2015 escape of convicted murderers David Sweat and Richard Matt.
The report details the actions, or lack thereof, of the inmates, prison staff, management and officials at the State Department of Corrections and Community Services (DOCCS) that contributed to the escape, and provides recommendations to prevent such an event from ever occurring again.
The report culminates an investigation that included sworn testimony from more than 170 witnesses and the review of tens of thousands of document pages. The investigation began shortly after the escape under the direction of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo “to conduct a thorough investigation to determine all factors potentially involved in the escape” and “recommend any potential reforms and best practices to prevent future incidents.”
Inspector General Leahy Scott’s investigation found the escape occurred in a prison where lapses in basic security functions were longstanding. These included the failure by officers assigned to the front gate to search employees’ bags entering the prison as required; night counts of inmates that were conducted negligently or not at all; inadequate cell searches; and poor supervision of inmates and employees by security staff and civilian managers in the prison tailor shop, among other factors.
In sum, the investigation found that longstanding, systemic failures in management and oversight by DOCCS enabled two convicted murderers to meticulously orchestrate their escape from a maximum security facility almost in plain sight.
“The extent of complacency and failure to adhere to the most basic security standards uncovered by my investigation was egregious and inexcusable,” said Inspector General Leahy Scott. “These systemicdeficiencies led to the escape of two convicted murders, striking fear in communities and placing brave law enforcement personnel at risk, at a high cost to the state. DOCCS has cooperated with my office to implement critical reforms. I will dedicate resources specifically to ensure the integrity of these reforms at Clinton, as well as ensuring adherence to best practices across all prison facilities in the State. I also look forward to continuing to work with DOCCS to ensure the implementation of policies and procedures in an effort to safeguard those who live or work in our prison system.”
The Inspector General’s investigation was conducted in consultation with Michael P. Jacobson, a widely recognized criminal justice scholar and former corrections executive. Jacobson served as Commissioner of the New York City Department of Probation from 1992 to 1996 and as Commissioner of the New York City Department of Correction from 1995 to 1998.
From 2005 to 2013 he was president and director of the Vera Institute of Justice and since 2013 has been professor of sociology at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York (CUNY) and executive director of the CUNY Institute for State and Local Governance. The Inspector General also consulted current corrections officials from across the country on security issues directly relevant to deficiencies identified at Clinton. “The Inspector General’s thorough investigation bore deeply into systemic issues of complacency and a lack of adherence to the most basic security procedures.at Clinton, uncovering the failings that led to the escape.
In working with the Inspector General and consulting with national experts, I am confident that the Inspector General’s recommendations will lay the groundwork for state of the art reforms to the New York State correctional system” said Jacobson. The escape led to a three-week manhunt throughout New York’s northernmost counties, paralyzing many communities throughout the region, and involved as many as 1,300 law enforcement personnel costing $22.8 million in State law enforcement overtime alone. Matt was shot and killed 20 days after the escape and Sweat was shot and captured two days later.
Prison civilian employee Joyce Mitchell, who ran the tailor shop both inmates worked in and had improper sexual relationships with each, was charged and convicted with providing Matt and Sweat with the hacksaw blades and other tools used in the escape.
Clinton Corrections Officer Gene Palmer was charged and convicted with exchanging contraband that facilitated the escape. Based on the investigation, DOCCS has pursued and continues to pursue discipline of numerous employees implicated in the investigation. Many of these employees have already resigned or have been terminated.
