Implement New City Jail Standards
Tighten Inmate Monitoring

By REUVEN BLAU

The Board of Correction Nov. 8 voted to allow the city to monitor inmate phone calls and require them to wear uniforms, but rejected a proposal to decrease the space required to house inmates. In September 2006, the nine-member board introduced a draft plan designed to amend the Minimum Standards for Correctional Facilities, which were largely based on suggestions made by Correction Department Commissioner Martin F. Horn.

MARTIN F. HORN: Pleased by changes.

The vote last week marked the first sweeping change to the department's regulations in more than 30 years.

Most Backed by Unions

The correction unions are in favor of the majority of the switches designed to better monitor inmates. But they were vociferously opposed to reducing the space required for inmates from 60 square feet to 50 per inmate.

That plan, they contended, would allow the department to add 10 inmates to each dormitory, which would in turn require one Correction Officer to oversee 120 inmates, up from 100.

Commissioner Horn, who passionately supported all the amendments, hailed the board's vote on the 46 proposals. "The Board of Correction today took the important and long overdue action in the name of safety for the inmates and our staff in the jails and the public outside them," he said in a statement issued shortly after the daylong meeting.

SID SCHWARTZBAUM: 'Huge' monitoring gains.

The board approved several of the changes that the correction unions and prisoner advocacy groups were against, including repealing regulations requiring the department to have employees fluent in Spanish available and guidelines specifying how much overtime officers can work.

Cited Need for Rest

Last year, Correction Officers Benevolent Association President Norman Seabrook detailed his concerns in a letter to Board of Correction Executive Director Richard T. Wolf. The letter argued against changing the rules prohibiting an officer from working more than two consecutive shifts and mandating that officers be afforded at least 10 hours off before returning to duty after working two tours. "There is a direct correlation between an officer's ability to receive adequate rest between his or her shifts and the safety and security of that officer's facility," he said.

Mr. Seabrook and the other union officials noted that many of those overtime rules were enacted following the jail riots that occurred in the 1980s. "It was determined that Correction Officers were over-worked and the lack of sufficient rest they received between their shifts diminished their alertness and thus impeded their ability to perform their duties at optimal levels," the letter said.

'Major Accomplishment'

Last week, the union president hailed the overall changes. "The Board of Correction is a body of people that have selected members, that advocate for prisoners' rights, and I understand that," he said during a Nov. 8 phone interview. "But we live in a time now where security plays an important role."

Mr. Seabrook called the uniformed requirement "a major accomplishment," which will easily allow officers to identify dangerous inmates. "Too often we have to determine who they are in a split-second," he remarked. "By allowing everyone to be put into uniform makes it very clear."

He also supported the added phone supervision, a move that has particularly angered prisoner advocacy associations. "We should be able to monitor threats against staff members," Mr. Seabrook said. "I commend the board for allowing us to move forward to the 21st century."

Sidney Schwartzbaum, president of the Assistant Deputy Wardens/Deputy Wardens Association, observed that the work rule banning excessive overtime was still in the department's regulations.

'Won't Have Big Impact'

"While I'm not happy about the change, I don't believe it's going to affect the conditions of employment of the uniformed staff," he said during a Nov. 8 phone interview. "Presently, there is an operation order which clearly defines the right of uniformed staff to 10 hours between tours."

The unions backed the move to have inmates wear different colors than the other prisoners so that officers can recognize the higher security risks.

But prisoner advocacy groups questioned the details of that plan, noting that the department had not formally requested additional money to cover the costs of purchasing and cleaning the new uniforms.

Commissioner Horn last week maintained the uniforms and the other changes would increase safety in the jails. "Requiring all inmates, whether convicted or detained for trial, to wear institutional clothing will help reduce the availability of contraband drugs and weapons in the jails, reduce the violence that occurs when inmates argue over desirable civilian clothes, and help prevent escape," he said.

Broaden Search Powers

The board also voted to give the department broader ability to search incoming mail and packages. "Promptly restricting inmate mail and packages when public or jail safety are thought to be jeopardized will make all citizens safer," Mr. Horn said. "All of these practices are already in place in every other jail in New York State and most major jail systems in the nation and have been proven effective."

The board's proposals were slammed by many former board members and prisoner advocates, who questioned how much research the panel was putting in to review the wide-reaching suggestions. Critics of the changes also questioned the relationship between Board Chair Hildy Simmons and Commissioner Horn, noting that they worked together in the state prison system years ago and have remained friends.

The correction unions, however, generally supported last week's votes on each of the proposals.

"The ability to monitor inmate mail and their phones is huge," Mr. Schwartzbaum asserted. "The wearing of prison clothing is going to cut down on a lot of theft and flying of gang colors, but the most important aspect of this vote was that the Board of Correction had the insight to vote down the decrease of living space for the inmates."