Q&A
Council member questions DOI commissioner on sexual abuse allegation procedures
3:34:22
·
4 min
Council Member Sandy Nurse questions DOI Commissioner Jocelyn Strauber about the process of handling sexual abuse allegations in city jails. The discussion covers the types of evidence provided by DOC, DOI's decision-making process for investigations, and how information about repeat offenders is tracked.
- Strauber explains that DOI receives initial complaints from DOC without prior investigation
- DOI considers factors such as complaint details, prior accusations, and available resources when deciding to investigate
- The council member offers support to prioritize addressing sexual abuse in city jails
Sandy Nurse
3:34:22
What type of evidence or information does DOC typically provide when they inform the DOE duty team that there's been an allegation of sexual abuse?
3:34:37
And is it enough to make an informed decision about whether DOE should be handling the case.
Jocelyn Strauber
3:34:44
Excuse me.
3:34:44
My understanding is we are getting the complaint itself referred to us.
3:34:50
And at that point, DOC has not done an investigation.
3:34:53
Patient.
3:34:53
So what we do, and that's sort of by design, because we're taking that first look in that 1st 24 hour period.
3:35:00
What we're doing is really focused, therefore, on the the complain itself, and what kind of information does it give us?
3:35:07
Does it give us enough information to know sort of what video we might pull.
3:35:11
Is there an officer name?
3:35:12
Can we look through our system to see whether there were prior complaints?
3:35:16
We can also look and see, did did the victim ever make a complaint?
3:35:20
Previously, if we have the victim's name.
3:35:22
So we're trying to see what inquiry can we make just based on the complaint.
3:35:26
And if we can make some headway and there's sufficient facts for us to go and develop some more evidence, Then generally, although it's it's on a case by case basis, and I describe some of the other factors we consider, like the seriousness of the allegation, does it involve physical contact versus verbal harassment, which is not to say verbal harassment isn't serious, it's simply how are we gonna allocate our resources We look at all of those things.
3:35:49
And then if we can continue the investigation, if the complaint gives us sufficient information to do that, we generally will do that.
3:35:57
If not, we will clear DOC to do an investigation And then as as I mentioned to the extent that DOC develops evidence of criminality, they are obligated to refer that back to us so that we can pick up the investigation from there if we think that that's warranted.
Sandy Nurse
3:36:18
In your thank you for that.
3:36:20
In your opening statement, you said that when considering whether to retain a case for investigation, the agency considers factors such as whether detailed information was provided by DOC, whether the alleged abuser has been the subject of previous accusations, whether physical contact was alleged, as you just mentioned, NDOI's investigative resources at the time of the complaint.
3:36:42
One of the factors considered is whether the alleged abuser has been the subject of previous accusations.
3:36:48
Does deal does DOE rely on DOC to inform them if the subject of the complaint has has faced previous accusations?
3:36:57
And or is that information something your agency tracks independently.
Jocelyn Strauber
3:37:02
Well, it will it will we we may have and should have, given the nature of the reporting system under Priya, we should have any prior complaints of sexual abuse, and we maintain our own case management system on where we file every complaint that comes in.
3:37:16
So even if it was too vague, but it had let's say it had an officer's name, but no other detail, we weren't able to follow-up on it further.
3:37:23
We would still have a record of that.
3:37:25
We could always go back to DOC to confirm whether there's anything they know that we don't.
3:37:30
But we should, based on the reporting rules, we should have any allegation of sexual abuse, at least one that falls under Priya against an officer.
Sandy Nurse
3:37:41
Comes from receivers.
3:37:42
Do you have any final questions?
3:37:44
Okay.
3:37:45
That's all our questions.
3:37:46
Thank you so much for for your answers, and we'd love to follow-up with you and and really would love to work with you to make sure we're able to make this a priority.
3:37:57
It's clear that the executive of this city is not making it a priority.
3:38:01
I mean, this is a person who talks about women as eye candy publicly, so I don't know how much that's connecting from the top.
3:38:09
But this is this is a a council of mostly women.
3:38:13
Like, we are here as a resource to protect other women, and we want to work with you.
3:38:18
So let us know what it will cost, what you need to hire people pull up, what do you need?
3:38:22
We wanna we wanna make sure it happens.
3:38:25
And thank you for being here.
Jocelyn Strauber
3:38:26
I appreciate that offer of support very much.
3:38:28
Thank you.
Sandy Nurse
3:38:29
Thank you.
