About

The New York City Board of Correction (BOC) is a nine-person, non-judicial oversight board that regulates, monitors, and inspects the correctional facilities of the City.

The Board of Correction carries out independent oversight and enacts regulations to support safer, fairer, smaller, and more humane NYC jails.

It is one of the earliest independent oversight Boards of custodial and detention settings in the United States. Its original Board members were appointed in 1957. In 1977, the Board's role was expanded and it became more independent, gaining its own staff and budget.

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 any matter within the jurisdiction of the Department
• Review grievances from person in custody and staff
• Evaluate the performance of the NYC Department of Correction (DOC)
• Make recommendations on areas of key correctional planning.