Standards Specialist

About the New York City Board of Correction

The New York City Board of Correction (BOC or the Board) is a nineperson nonjudicial oversight board which regulates monitors and inspects the correctional facilities of the City. Established in 1957 BOC is one of the earliest independent oversight boards of custodial and detention settings in the United States. The Mayor City Council and presiding justices of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court for the First and Second Judicial Departments (in joint nomination with the Mayor) appoint its members. The City Charter mandates the Boards five functions:

Establish and ensure compliance with minimum standards for the care custody correction treatment supervision and discipline of all persons held or confined under the jurisdiction of the Department of Correction (DOC or the Department);
Investigate serious incidents;
Review grievances from people in custody and staff;
Evaluate the performance of DOC; and
Make recommendations on areas of key correctional planning.

The Board established the Minimum Standards on conditions of confinement in 1979 mental health care in 1985 and health care in 1991. In 2007 BOC finished a comprehensive review of the Minimum Standards and adopted a series of amendments. Since 2014 the Board has engaged in rulemaking five times including rules related to the prevention of sexual violence reporting on serious injuries and the elimination of punitive segregation or solitary confinement.

With offices in lower Manhattan and Rikers Island BOC works regularly with DOC and Health Hospitals and often with other partners on a wide range of criminal justice issues germane to its oversight responsibilities. BOC is a key municipal partner in the movement for safer smaller fairer more humane jails which minimize negative consequences such as violence to persons in custody and staff. The Board brings to this work a strong emphasis on public reporting.

With new staff leadership funding and Board members along with increased public attention and jail reform efforts underway BOC is in a period of growth and change.

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Board seeks a Standards Specialist (Monitor) with a passion for justice fairness and human rights and the ability to collaborate with all agency units to leverage the powers of the Board. This is an opportunity to work under the supervision of experienced directors and monitors who have spent years working inside of jails and enforcing the Minimum Standards. We are a nationally unique institution with broad powers of access and oversight under the New York City Charter.

The Standards Specialists are critical to the work of the Board. They serve as the Boards and the Citys eyes and ears in the jails on Rikers Island as well as the court pens and hospital prison wards. To promote compliance with the Boards Minimum Standards monitoring staff have unfettered access to the jails.

The Monitor will report to their assigned Director. Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Conducting regular tours of assigned jails court pens hospital prison wards
Providing written and oral reporting on conditions and minimum standards of assigned jails courts or hospital wards
Enforcing the Minimum Standards by visiting jails taking and resolving complaints from staff and people in custody
Examining DOCs compliance with the Minimum Standards consent decrees and other legal mandates and Departmental policies procedures orders and directives
Analyzing compliance by the Correctional Health Services (CHS) with the Health and Mental Health Care Minimum Standards
Preparing written reports on all investigations surveys and analyses
Providing technical assistance to DOC administrators to achieve compliance and improve working and living conditions for staff and people in custody
Conducting factfinding and investigations of unusual incident such as deaths disturbances and escapes and preparing reports studies surveys and correspondence regarding such incidents
Helping review and analyze requests from DOC and CHS for variances from the Minimum Standards
Assisting in processing evaluating and preparing responses to appeals from people in custody concerning the Minimum Standards


EXPERIENCE/QUALITIES/SKILLS STRONGLY PREFERRED

Collegial approach to teamwork across disciplines
Masters degree in a social science discipline public policy or related field
At least three years of government nonprofit or comparable experience
Experience at a regulatory agency or advocating before a regulatory agency
Service as an inmate in a correctional or related facility may be substituted for a portion of the fulltime paid preferred experience up to a maximum of two years on a yearforyear basis
Interest in and experience with criminal justice and correctional policy human rights or social justice
Experience conducting qualitative and quantitative research and expressing findings in report form
Proficiency with Microsoft Word Excel and PowerPoint
Knowledge of and experience with statistical analysis
Strong ability to write clear and concisely
Working knowledge of New York City jails and corrections
Excellent organizational and time management skills and attention to detail
Strong interpersonal skills with proven ability to collaborate with diverse colleagues and partners
Ability to work well independently and on a team
Ability to handle sensitive information in a professional manner and with discretion and integrity
Bilingual such as Spanish
Tenacious fact finder with excellent organizational and writing skills
Ability to thrive in a fastpaced and changing environment
Commitment to the mission of the New York City Board of Correction

TO APPLY:

For City employees: Go to Employee SelfService (ESS) at and search for Job ID# 644603
For all other applicants: Go to and search for Job ID# 644603


Please submit a resume and cover letter. Applications will not be considered unless we receive both items. Candidates who are subsequently called for an inperson interview will be required to complete a brief writing and analysis assignment and will be asked for references. Submission of an application does not guarantee an interview. Only candidates under consideration will be contacted.

The Board of Correction is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse and culturally responsive workforce. We strongly encourage people of color people with disabilities veterans women and lesbian gay bisexual and transgender and gender nonconforming persons to apply. All applicants will be considered without regard to actual or perceived race color national origin religion sexual orientation marital or parental status disability sex gender identity or expression age prior record of arrest or any other basis prohibited by law.


Appointments are subject to Office of Management & Budget approval for budgeted headcount. This role is subject to funding availability and dependent on continued funding.

As a current or prospective employee of the City of New York you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. You may check the eligibility for programs and how to apply at nyc.gov/studentloans.

The City of New York and the Board of Correction is an equal opportunity employer and committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legallyprotected status or protected characteristic including but not limited to an individuals sex race color ethnicity national origin age religion disability sexual orientation veteran status gender identity or pregnancy.

CORRECTIONAL STANDARDS REVIEW 52615

Qualifications :

1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university and two years of fulltime paid experience in correction social work psychology law public administration or related field providing direct services to an inmate or detention population within a correctional or related facility; or

2. A fouryear high school diploma or its educational equivalent approved by a States Department of Education or a recognized accrediting organization and four years of fulltime paid experience as described in 1 above; or

3. Education and/or experience equivalent to 1 or 2 above. Service as an inmate in a correctional or related facility may be substituted for a portion of the required experience up to a maximum of two years on a year for year basis. A graduate degree from an accredited college or university with a major in social work psychology law criminal justice or public administration which includes a field placement performing duties as described above may be substituted for up to one year of fulltime paid experience as described above. However all candidates must have at least one year of fulltime paid experience as described in 1 above.

Additional Information :

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic including but not limited to an individuals sex race color ethnicity national origin age religion disability sexual orientation veteran status gender identity or pregnancy.

Remote Work :

No

Employment Type :

Fulltime