ABOUT NEW YORK BOARD OF CORRECTION

The New York City Board of Correction (BOC) is a nine-person, non-judicial oversight board, which regulates, monitors, and inspects the correctional facilities of the City. 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 Board’s original appointees began in 1957, making it one of the earliest independent oversight boards of detention settings in the United States. In 1977, the Board’s role was expanded, and it became more independent. 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”
- Investigate serious incidents
- Review grievances from people in custody and staff
- Evaluate the performance of the Department of Correction
- Make recommendations on areas of key correctional planning.

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

The Board has a staff of 25 people. The staff are based in lower Manhattan and Rikers Island. With new staff leadership and Board members, along with increased public attention and significant jail reform efforts underway, the BOC is in a period of growth and change. The BOC is reviewing its core vision, strategies, and minimum standards in an effort to reset and effect change toward smaller, safer, fairer, more humane jails, which minimize the negative consequences of incarceration.

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Legal Associate (“Associate”) will report directly to, and work under the supervision and direction of the Deputy General Counsel and will be responsible for providing project management and legal administrative support for the Board’s Legal Office. The Associate will work closely with the General Counsel and become an expert in the City’s regulatory process and other legal issues that impact the City’s jails, jail staff, and the people held in jail.
The associate must be a thorough researcher, a clear and concise writer, a creative thinker, and a team player. The associate’s work product must be of high quality, timely and well organized, and reflect attention to detail. The associate will relish taking the initiative and be eager to learn about correctional policies and issues facing the City’s jails.
The Legal Associate’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
- Assist with rulemaking, including;
o Conducting research on local, state and federal correctional policies, procedures and practices, studies and expert opinions related to the subjects of rulemaking.
o Draft memoranda summarizing research findings and making recommendations to Executive Staff.
o Take minutes of meetings with Board members, the Department of Correction (“DOC”), Correctional Health Services (“CHS”), other City and government agencies, and external stakeholders concerning subjects of rulemaking and proposed rules.
o Prepare written summaries of Board fact-finding and public comments received on proposed rules.
o Schedule, draft agendas, and prepare hand-outs for, such meetings.
o Assist in preparing for public Board meetings and hearings on proposed rules; and
o Create and maintain rulemaking files.
- Track and draft summaries for the Board of (1) DOC and H+H policies and procedures; (2) proposed and newly enacted local, state and federal statutes and regulations concerning correctional and criminal justice issues; (3) articles, studies and court opinions concerning such issues; and (4) public reports of DOC’s compliance with the consent judgment in Nunez
v. City of New York.
- Assist with the development and drafting of internal policies and procedures, including collaboration with Mayor’s Office and other agency partners.
- Assist with gathering documents and information in response to FOIL requests, other information requests, and external litigation.
- Draft the minutes of all public Board meetings and other key meetings.
- Participate in a variety of special projects assigned by the leadership team as needed.
- The Legal Associate will also perform other duties as determined by the Deputy General Counsel and General Counsel.

Hours/Shift: Full-Time, at least 35 hrs/wk Work Location: 2 Lafayette Street, New York, New York 10007 (with periodic time at Rikers Island office)

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and two years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties described above; or
2. High school graduation or equivalent and six years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties as described above; or

3. Education and/or experience which is equivalent to “1” or “2” above. However, all candidates must have at least one year of experience as described in “1” above.

EXPERIENCE / SKILLS PREFERRED:
- Familiarity with criminal justice and correctional policy or social justice issues
- Excellent writing skills and enjoys writing
- Excellent research abilities and enjoys research
- Excellent organizational and time management skills, and attention to detail
- Strong interpersonal skills with proven ability to work collaboratively with diverse colleagues and partners
- Ability to work independently as well as within a team
- Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information in a professional manner with discretion and integrity
- Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint
- Commitment to the mission of the NYC Board of Correction
- Service as an inmate in correctional or related facility may be substituted for a portion of the required experience up to a maximum of two years.

TO APPLY:

For City employees: Go to Employee Self-Service (ESS) at www.nyc.gov/ess and search for Job ID # 618977

For all other applicants: Go to https://a127-legacy-jobs.nyc.gov/ and search for Job ID# 618977

Please submit a cover letter and resume.

Appointments are subject to Office of Management and Budget approval.

The City of New York and the Board of Correction is an equal opportunity employer and committed to diversity.

Submission of an application does not guarantee an interview. Only candidates under consideration will be contacted. Candidates who are called for an interview will be required to submit a writing sample.

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.

1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and two years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties described above; or
2. High school graduation or equivalent and six years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties as described above; or
3. Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" or "2" above. However, all candidates must have at least one year of experience as described in "1" above.

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.

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.