ALBANY, N.Y. — Women across New York are being banned from visiting their loved ones in state prisons due to body scanners mistaking personal items like tampons, contraceptives, and surgical mesh for contraband. Susan Fowler, a nurse for 40 years, is one such woman who has been affected.
Susan and her husband, Stephen Fowler, regularly visit their son Alex at Washington Correctional Facility. Last October, Susan was accused of smuggling drugs after a five-minute scan. Despite providing doctors’ notes confirming she has surgical mesh in her pelvis, she received a letter stating she was banned for a year.
“I couldn’t believe it,” Fowler said. “I’ve been a nurse for 40 years. And I told them this. I said this is crazy.”
Berkeley Brean, News10NBC: “What does this do to you and what does this do to Alex emotionally?”Susan Fowler: “This has been the worst five months of our lives. For me and Alex. I mean we are his emotional support team.”
Susan’s experience is not isolated. The New York Civil Liberties Union reports similar incidents statewide. Senator Julia Salazar, chair of the senate committee on crime victims, crime and corrections, has sponsored a bill to prevent visitation denial for women wearing menstrual products or contraceptive devices.Her office received complaints from 50 women.
During a recent budget hearing, Assemblywoman Anna Kelles questioned Corrections Commissioner Dan Martuscello about the issue.
Assemblywoman Anna Kelles, (D) Ithaca: “Are you committed to ending this discriminatory practice?”Dan Martuscello, Commissioner, Corrections: “Yeah, women aren’t turned away because of menstrual products.”Kelles: “Yes, but you said, yes.”Martuscello: “No, I said they are not.”Kelles: “I’m going to keep going.”Martuscello: “Okay.”
Berkeley Brean, News10NBC: “The state thinks you’re a drug smuggler.”Susan Fowler: “I know.”Berkeley Brean: “What does that do to you?”Susan Fowler: “After five months I can actually laugh about it because it’s so absurd. But initially this is not at all a joke. This needs to be addressed.”
If the ban is not reversed, Susan won’t see her son in person for another eight months. The body scanners were introduced post-2025 prison strike and are mandatory for face-to-face visits, though optional for staff, with 90% opting out. The Department of Corrections has yet to respond to inquiries about the issue but cites contraband as a major problem in prisons.
News10NBC Investigates: New York women face prison visit bans due to body scanners mistaking tampons and contraceptives WHEC.com.
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