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City of New York

Standards Specialist

City of New York, New York, New York, us, 10261

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About the New York City Board of Correction The New York City Board of Correction (“BOC” or “the Board”) is a nine-person, non-judicial 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 Board’s 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 administration, monitoring, legal and research staff to leverage the powers of the Board. This is an opportunity to work under the supervision of experienced directors, and collaboration with 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 Monitor will report to their assigned Director.

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 DOC’s 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 fact-finding 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

Preferred Qualifications and Skills

Collegial approach to teamwork across disciplines

Master’s 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 full-time, paid, preferred experience up to a maximum of two years on a year-for-year 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 fast-paced and changing environment

Commitment to the mission of the New York City Board of Correction

How to Apply For City employees: Go to Employee Self-Service (ESS) at www.nyc.gov/ess and search for Job ID# 761668. For all other applicants: Go to www.nyc.gov/jobs and search for Job ID# 761668.

Please submit a resume and cover letter. Applications will not be considered unless we receive both items. Candidates who are subsequently called for an in-person 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 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 legally-protected status or protected characteristic, including, but not limited to, an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.

Minimum Qualifications

A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university and two years of full-time 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

A four‑year high school diploma or its educational equivalent approved by a State’s Department of Education or a recognized accrediting organization and four years of full‑time paid experience as described in “1” above; or

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 full‑time paid experience as described above. However, all candidates must have at least one year of full‑time paid experience as described in “1” above.

Residency Requirement New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.

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 individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.

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.

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