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Q&A
BOC's monitoring of involuntary lock-ins (deadlocking) in NYC jails
4:32:24
·
175 sec
Council Member Diana Ayala questions the Board of Correction about their efforts to monitor involuntary lock-ins, also known as deadlocking, in NYC jails. BOC officials explain their current and planned actions to address this issue.
- The special investigations team has developed a tool and methodology for a broad assessment of involuntary lock-ins.
- An audit focusing on mental observation areas and young adult areas is set to begin in the coming weeks.
- BOC plans to issue a public report with their findings, expected to be published before June.
- The audit process includes communicating findings with the Department of Correction and addressing how to stop the practice of involuntary lock-ins.
Diana Ayala
4:32:24
Okay.
4:32:25
I mean, because the number of deaths reported in custody have increased substantially.
4:32:32
I'm I'm not sure how you're able to conduct your business without the appropriate level of staffing.
4:32:41
Okay.
4:32:42
I'm gonna move on to oversight.
4:32:43
At your October meeting the board heavily discussed involuntary lock ins also known as deadlocking.
4:32:49
What is the board doing to monitor the use of involuntary lock ins and is the monitoring occurring at all jails on an ongoing basis?
Jasmine Georges-Yilla
4:33:00
Yes, so our the special investigations team that I just mentioned has taken the lead on our assessment of involuntary lock ins.
4:33:11
They actually just completed the tool and methodology that we're gonna use for a broad assessment, and I can let our general counsel and deputy executive directors speak more to it, but we are looking at it.
4:33:25
It is a serious problem and it's something that we continuously monitor and we'll be issuing a report on, but more more research sources and more staff lended to issues like that would allow us to report out more immediately.
Diana Ayala
4:33:45
Okay.
4:33:46
Do you want to add anything?
4:33:48
So
Melissa Cintrón Hernández
4:33:49
we expect the involuntary lock in audit to begin in the coming weeks.
4:33:54
It will focus on areas of mental observation and it will focus on areas where young adults are.
4:34:02
And like executive director George Stila mentioned, if we have more staff, we will be able to conduct an even more comprehensive and larger audit.
4:34:11
But we will start with those areas, and as executive director George Stila mentioned, we will be issuing a public report with our findings.
Diana Ayala
4:34:20
Is that the first I'm assuming this is not the first audit after the reports of the the involuntary lock ins was reported last year?
Jasmine Georges-Yilla
4:34:32
It would be the first public report issued publicly because we want to do a comprehensive assessment.
4:34:39
We want to be able to communicate all of the findings with the department and have them have an opportunity to speak to them and address them and to communicate what the resolution is and put that in the report as well.
4:34:56
And come to a meeting of the minds of how this practice is gonna stop.
Diana Ayala
4:35:00
Okay, so when do you expect the report will be published?
Melissa Cintrón Hernández
4:35:05
In the coming months.
4:35:06
The audit will begin in the coming weeks.
4:35:08
We expect it to take a couple of weeks and then our research units and our special investigations units will analyze the data, come up with the findings, and issue the report.