State Angry Over Nassau County Jail Violations

State correction officials are upset that the East Meadow jail has failed to address several “deplorable” conditions affecting inmate facilities and scolded Nassau County jail officials in a scathing letter on Wednesday.  

Until the violations are fixed, the state has denied the Nassau County Correctional Facility’s request to rent more than 500 empty jail cells to house Suffolk County prisoners.

Nassau County jail officials sent two letters this month to the state urging inspectors for a follow-up visit before the scheduled dates in May to show how they have complied with state regulations and are attempting to meet proper staffing requirements. In its effort to close a budget gap, the county would reportedly earn $4.6 million a year for every 100 cells it leases.  

“The commission is not inclined to permit Nassau to rent space in its jail until and unless the facility meets the minimum standards for a safe, secure, stable and humane correctional system,” said John Caher, a spokesman for the state Division of Criminal Justice Services. “These are longstanding issues and we are eager to work with Nassau County and the acting sheriff to address those problems – but they must be addressed.”

In the tersely-worded four-page letter to Acting Nassau County Sheriff Michael Sposato, Thomas A. Beilein, chairman of the State Commission of Correction, outlined a series of long-standing violations at the jail that have not been addressed.

According to the commission, of the 27 violations cited by the state during past inspections, 14 violations remain, including the poor maintenance of the shower units. Sanitation violations cited over the past 27 months have not been corrected, Beilein said.

“This is a …chronicle of widespread and persistent violations of state regulations,” Beilein said in his letter, adding that the jail should have established a plan to clean and maintain the inmates’ shower areas on a daily basis.

In a December 2008 inspection, the commission found that the shower areas were also in need of painting and repair. Mold on the ceiling tiles has worsened and many of the showers in the dormitory housing area “are becoming unacceptable,” the commission said.

“Maintaining the shower areas in a sanitary and safe condition is, and has been problematic for the facility as observed in past evaluations as well as during the current evaluation,” according to the commission’s findings.

Sposato contends that “although we have serious disagreements with the position of the State Commission of Correction regarding many of their current issues, some of those issues cited by them have been corrected since their 2009 and 2010 tours of the jail, and we continue to diligently work to address the few remaining open issues.”

Another violation that has not been corrected includes the regular laundering of jackets worn by inmate during outdoor exercise. A visit by the commission to the East Meadow jail on Oct. 5, 2009 revealed that the outdoor clothing was piled in or on plastic garbage cans after being worn by the inmates. In the indoor gym, the clothing was observed on a weight bench and remained damp from previous use during a light rain storm. A photo taken shows insects on or around the jackets, the commission found.

The state requested that the facility-issued jackets provided to inmates during outdoor exercise are cleaned at least once a month or more frequently if necessary.

Other longstanding violations of the state’s minimum standards included issues involving pre-hearing detention, distribution of cleaning supplies and documentation and storage of chemical agents, which the facility was found in noncompliance during an Aug. 4, 2010 inspection by the commission.

In his letter, Beilein blamed, in large part, the longstanding poor conditions on the lack of a chief administrative officer at the jail. The commission repeatedly has demanded that all positions at the jail be filled.

“I firmly believe that this jail is managed and operated in a most safe and secure manner,” said Sposato.  “I am extremely proud of the hard working men and women who staff this facility and perform their difficult duties with the utmost professionalism each and every day.”

He said the jail has requested an “expedited site visit” by the state to demonstrate compliance.

“We believe that most of their concerns have been fully addressed and that the remaining issues have no bearing on the day to day operations of the facility,” he said.

He added that that the facility is the largest county jail in the state, and has more than 300 standards the state requires it to meet. He said he believes the outstanding violations do not suggest “any serious deficiencies.”