Standards Specialist

City of New York•East Elmhurst, NY

About The Position

The New York City Board of Correction (BOC) seeks a Standards Specialist, also referred to as a Monitor, to support its independent oversight of the City’s correctional facilities. The Board establishes and ensures compliance with minimum standards for people held under the Department of Correction, investigates serious incidents, reviews grievances, evaluates DOC performance, and makes recommendations on correctional planning. The Monitor will work with administration, monitoring, legal, and research staff to advance the Board’s oversight responsibilities and promote compliance with its Minimum Standards. The position works under an assigned Director and has broad access to jails on Rikers Island, court pens, and hospital prison wards. Standards Specialists serve as the Board’s and the City’s “eyes and ears” in these facilities. They monitor conditions and compliance, investigate incidents, respond to complaints and appeals, prepare reports and analyses, and provide technical assistance to DOC administrators. The role also includes reviewing Correctional Health Services compliance with health and mental health care standards and assessing requests for variances from the Minimum Standards. The Board is a nationally unique oversight institution in a period of growth and change. Its work emphasizes public reporting and contributes to efforts to make jails safer, smaller, fairer, and more humane. The position is subject to funding availability and continued funding, and appointments are subject to Office of Management & Budget approval for budgeted headcount.

Requirements

Meet one of the specified qualification pathways: a bachelor’s degree and two years of full-time paid experience providing direct services to an inmate or detention population in correction, social work, psychology, law, public administration, or a related field; a high school diploma or equivalent and four years of such experience; or equivalent education and/or experience.
Have at least one year of full-time paid experience providing direct services to an inmate or detention population in a correctional or related facility, including where a graduate degree and field placement are used as a substitution.
Demonstrate strong writing ability, including the ability to write clearly and concisely.
Have excellent organizational and time-management skills and attention to detail.
Have strong interpersonal skills and the ability to collaborate with diverse colleagues and partners.
Be able to work independently and as part of a team.
Handle sensitive information professionally, with discretion and integrity.
Be able to thrive in a fast-paced and changing environment.
Demonstrate commitment to the mission of the New York City Board of Correction.

Nice To Haves

A master’s degree in a social science discipline, public policy, or a related field.
At least three years of government, nonprofit, or comparable experience.
Experience at a regulatory agency or advocating before a regulatory agency.
Interest in and experience with criminal justice and correctional policy, human rights, or social justice.
Experience conducting qualitative and quantitative research and presenting findings in report form.
Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Knowledge of and experience with statistical analysis.
Working knowledge of New York City jails and corrections.
Bilingual ability, such as Spanish.
Service as an inmate in a correctional or related facility may substitute for a portion of the specified experience, up to two years on a year-for-year basis.

Responsibilities

Conduct regular tours of assigned jails, court pens, and hospital prison wards.
Provide written and oral reports on conditions and compliance with Minimum Standards in assigned jails, courts, or hospital wards.
Enforce the Minimum Standards by visiting jails and taking and resolving complaints from staff and people in custody.
Examine DOC compliance with the Minimum Standards, consent decrees, other legal mandates, and Department policies, procedures, orders, and directives.
Analyze Correctional Health Services compliance with the Health and Mental Health Care Minimum Standards.
Prepare written reports on investigations, surveys, and analyses.
Provide technical assistance to DOC administrators to support compliance and improve working and living conditions for staff and people in custody.
Conduct fact-finding and investigations of unusual incidents, such as deaths, disturbances, and escapes, and prepare related reports, studies, surveys, and correspondence.
Help review and analyze DOC and CHS requests for variances from the Minimum Standards.
Assist in processing, evaluating, and preparing responses to appeals from people in custody concerning the Minimum Standards.