Prison Crime in New York State

The lack of attention devoted to crimes committed in prisons is striking given the important implications of the problem both for prison management and for public safety. This study examines reporting of crimes, referrals for prosecution and actual prosecution of crimes committed in New York State prisons. The authors find that there is no accurate means of tracking either prison crimes or prosecutions. But based on interviews, a review of state correctional department data, and a survey of prosecutors in more than one dozen counties where state prisons are located, they conclude that as many as 6,000 crimes may be committed annually in the New York State prison system. Yet few of these crimes are referred for prosecution or actually prosecuted.