Albany, NY – Assemblywoman Nily Rozic (D,WF-Fresh Meadows) announced the passage of legislation she sponsors that would ensure that incarcerated parents are placed in facilities closest to the home of their children. There are more than 100,000 children in New York State that have at in facilities that are hours away from their children and families. least one parent in state prison and a majority of individuals are being housed

“Family bonds are a critical component of communities but the strain of separation often causes damage and long term trauma,” said Rozic. “The Close to Home Act would make visits convenient and affordable.” encourage visitation, lower recidivism, and strengthen New York families by

The Close to Home Act would require the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision to place inmates in correctional facilities in close proximity to their children and in turn encourage visitation. Consistent, ongoing contact in the form of in-person visits is the most important factor in determining whether a family will reunite after a prison term. Research also demonstrates visits improve recidivism rates, institutional adjustment, decrease disciplinary infractions and promote lower

Of incarcerated people, those who receive no visitors have a 50 percent chance of making it a year on parole with without an arrest. That number climbs to 70 percent for those with at least three visits. Additionally, 63 percent of people in state prison are placed in facilities more than 100 miles from their families and distance from home is a strong predictor for whether a person in a state prison will receive a visit in a given month.