New York’s new ‘proximity’ law will help incarcerated parents stay close to kids

Incarcerated parents from New York City are often locked up hundreds of miles away in prisons like Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, near the Canadian border. AP Photo/Mel Evans

By Rachel Vick

A new state law will require New York’s correction agency to consider an incarcerated parent’s proximity to their children when making prison assignments.

The “Proximity Bill,” signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Dec. 23, is intended to ensure parents behind bars can maintain ties with their children, said the measure’s Assembly sponsor, Nily Rozic of Queens.

“The signing of the Proximity Bill is a step forward in making visiting more convenient and affordable for families experiencing the strain of separation along with their loved ones who are incarcerated,” Rozic said. “This new law will go a long way in not only maintaining family bonds but also improving successful reentry and family reunification all while reducing recidivism in New York.”

Queens State Sens. John Liu, Jessica Ramos and James Sanders Jr. co-sponsored the legislation.

Under the new law, the Office of Probation and Correctional Alternatives and the Office of Children and Family Services will develop assessment procedures and criteria, and provide annual reports on the implementation of the law.

More than 100,000 children in the state have at least one incarcerated parent, most of whom are detained in rural Upstate New York prisons, hours away from their homes in New York City and other urban areas.

The legislation cites experts in the field of criminal justice, child development and child welfare, who “agree that in the vast majority of cases, a child who has a parent in prison benefits from being able to have personal contact and communication with them.

“Consistent, ongoing contact in the form of in-person visiting reduces the strain of separation, lowers recidivism, and is the single most important factor in determining whether a family will reunite after a prison term,” the text states.

The new law will take effect in 2021.