BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — A group of clergy members has released the first independent public report examining conditions inside Erie County's two correctional facilities, offering both praise and recommendations for improvement based on extensive visits and interviews over the past two years.

The Erie County Clergy Jail Visiting Project presented its findings on Wednesday, highlighting areas where the county has made progress while identifying five major areas of concern that need attention.

"Incarcerated people are as fully human as people outside," said Steve Hart, an analyst with the Erie County Clergy Jail Visiting Project. "No matter how well they are run, they need to be watched over."

The report is based on six visits by clergy members to both the Erie County Correctional Facility

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