Res. No. 53
Title
Resolution calling on the New York State Legislature to pass and the Governor to sign A.6838/S.5337, which would permit the use of certain body imaging scanning equipment on inmates in local correctional facilities.
Body
By Council Members Gibson, Miller, Brannan, Powers and Holden
Whereas, The New York City Department of Correction ("DOC") is charged with overseeing and providing for the care, custody, and control of individuals 16 years of age and older who are accused of crimes or convicted and sentenced to one year or less of incarceration; and
Whereas, DOC reported 63,758 total admissions to City jails during Fiscal Year 2017, with an average daily population of 9,790; and
Whereas, According to the 2017 New York City's Preliminary Mayor's Management Report, inmate-on-inmate stabbings and slashings increased by 21 percent while inmate fights increased by 27 percent compared to the same time period of last year; and
Whereas, In an effort to successfully combat the rise of contraband, including weapons, from entering New York City correctional facilities the DOC purchased body imaging scanning equipment from the United States Transportation Security Administration; and
Whereas, It was reported by the New York Daily News that these six ionizing body imaging scanners were purchased by the City during 2012 and 2013 for approximately one million dollars; and
Whereas, Ionizing body imaging scanners emit a low dosage of radiation, less radiation than is experienced in approximately two minutes of commercial air flight; and
Whereas, According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, ionization body imaging scanners are safe and an individual would have to be screened more than a thousand times in one year in order to exceed the annual radiation dose limit, which has been set by expert radiation safety organizations; and
Whereas, These particular type of body imaging scanners purchased by DOC are prohibite...
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