Young Adult Frequently Asked Questions

Young Adult Frequently Asked Questions

Timelines

Timeline of changes to Young Adult only housing

Timeline of Changes to Young Adult (YA) Only Housing

  • 2014

    • August 2014The Department of Correction submits a variance request to create housing with age appropriate programming for young adults, ages 18-21, in DOC custody.
    • September 2014At the Board’s September public meeting, DOC presents a workgroup strategic action plan for researching evidence-based programs and best practices for working with adolescents and young adults in a correctional setting and developing DOC’s approach to addressing the needs of this population.
  • 2015

    • January 2015BOC adopts amendments to the Minimum Standards, including the addition of enhanced supervision housing to the list of housing types in which comingling is permissible.
    • August 1, 2015Deadline for the Department to implement the Board’s amended Minimum Standards requiring that housing for 18-21 year olds provide age-appropriate programming.
    • September 8, 2015Board grants DOC's variance request extending date by which DOC shall implement the requirement that 18-21 year olds be housed separately and apart from people over the age of 21.
    • November 10, 2015Board grants H+H’s variance request waiving the requirement that people in custody ages 18 through 21 be housed separately and apart from those over the age of 21, in relation to the housing of young adults in specialized mental health units, the North Infirmary Command, and West Facility communicable disease unit.
  • 2016

    • January 2016As required by the Board, DOC presents its Young Adult plan, which includes commitments to: (1) remove all young adults from punitive segregation; (2) house young adults separately from adults; (3) create alternatives to punitive segregation housing; (4) train all steady officers assigned to young adults housing in Safe Crisis Management; (5) train all steady officers assigned to alternative housing units in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; and (6) provide a minimum of 5 hours of programming per day for young adults.
    • January 12, 2016Board grants DOC's [second] variance request extending date by which DOC shall implement the requirement that 18-21 year olds be housed separately and apart from people over the age of 21 until July 12, 2016. The variance requires DOC provide written policies concerning placement of young adults in restrictive housing units and provide monthly progress reports on updates to the Young Adult plan.
    • June 2016DOC reports a spike in violence while housing young adults together at GMDC.
    • July 12, 2016Board grants DOC's [third] variance request extending date by which DOC shall implement the requirement that 19-21 year olds be housed separately and apart from people over the age of 21 until January 13, 2017.
    • July 26, 2016Board grants H+H’s variance request waiving the requirement that people in custody ages 18 through 21 be housed separately and apart from those over the age of 21, in relation to the housing of young adults in the Rose M. Singer Center (RMSC) infirmary, RMSC nursery, and RMSC pregnant housing.
  • 2017

    • January 10, 2017Board grants DOC's [fourth] variance request extending date by which DOC shall implement the requirement that 19-21 year olds be housed separately and apart from people over the age of 21 until July 13, 2017. The variance requires DOC provide the Board with a monthly census of housing units were 19-21 year olds are housed.
    • July 11, 2017Board grants DOC's [fifth] variance request extending date by which DOC shall implement the requirement that 19-21 year olds be housed separately and apart from people over the age of 21 until January 13, 2018.
  • 2018

    • January 9, 2018Board grants DOC's [sixth] variance request extending date by which DOC shall implement the requirement that 19-21 year olds be housed separately and apart from people over the age of 21 until July 14, 2018.
    • June 30, 2018As an initial phase in New York City’s plan to move to borough-based facilities, DOC closes GMDC.
    • July 15, 2018Board grants DOC's [seventh] variance request extending date by which DOC shall implement the requirement that 19-21 year olds be housed separately and apart from people over the age of 21 until October 15, 2018. The variance required that by October 9, DOC provide the Board with a Young Adult housing plan which would result in DOC housing substantially all young adults in young adult housing.
    • October 9, 2018Board grants DOC's [eighth] variance request extending date by which DOC shall implement the requirement that 19-21 year olds be housed separately and apart from people over the age of 21 until January 9, 2019.
    • October 2018As adolescents are transitioned to an off-island facility, DOC reports it will begin renovating newly vacated housing units with the intention of creating dedicated young adult spaces at Robert N. Davoren Complex (RNDC).
    • November, 2018DOC reports it will begin moving the Young Adult general population into RNDC.
  • 2019

    • January 10, 2017DOC designates RNDC as the admission facility for all young adults, ages 18-21.
    • July 11, 2017Board grants [ninth] variance request permitting the housing of young adults ages 19 through 21 with people over the age of 21 until February 12, 2019.
    • July 11, 2017Board grants [tenth] variance request permitting the housing of young adults ages 19 through 21 with people over the age of 21 until August 12, 2019. DOC provides the Board a third Young Adult housing plan update.

Timeline of changes to Punitive Segregation (PSEG) and alternatives to PSEG

Timeline of Changes to Punitive Segregation (PSEG) and Alternatives to PSEG

  • 2014

    • October 2014The Department of Correction first proposes a new restrictive housing area (Enhanced Supervision Housing) to address the increase in serious violence among incarcerated people the City’s jails and to integrate a new restrictive housing unit as the Department reforms its use of punitive segregation.
  • 2015

    • January 13, 2015The Board of Correction votes to amend the Minimum Standards to create Enhanced Supervision Housing (ESH) units, excluding their use for 16- through 21-year-olds and people with serious mental or physical disabilities or conditions, and votes to end Punitive Segregation for 16- through 21-year-olds, effective January 1, 2016.
    • February 21, 2015Minimum Standards regulating ESH go into effect.
    • July 1, 2015Deadline for DOC to provide people in ESH with both voluntary and involuntary in- and out-of-cell programming. This programming must be aimed at facilitating rehabilitation, addressing root causes of violence, and minimizing idleness.
    • November 10, 2015Board grants DOC's variance request extending deadline to end Punitive Segregation for young adults ages 18 through 21 until February 29, 2016. The variance requires that by January 4, 2016, DOC provide the Board with details on the updated disciplinary system and alternatives to punitive segregation for young adults. 
  • 2016

    • January 12, 2016Board grants DOC's [second] variance request extending the deadline to end Punitive Segregation for young adults ages 18 through 21 until June 1, 2016.
    • February 23, 2016Second Chance Housing Units (SCHU) for young adults open at the George Motchan Detention Center (GMDC) facility.
    • April 21, 2016Transitional Restorative Unit (TRU) for young adults opens at the GMDC facility.
    • May 10, 2016Board grants DOC's variance request to open and operate the Secure Unit to house young adults ages 18 through 21. The variance imposes out-of-cell time requirements and access to law library services by means of kiosks and typewriters until November 10, 2016.
    • May 26, 2016Board grants DOC's [third] variance request extending deadline to end Punitive Segregation for young adults ages 18 through 21 until June 30, 2016. The variance prohibits DOC from placing any young adult in punitive segregation for any infraction unless it is reviewed by the Chief of the Department. Further, the variance requires program counselors and programming be provided to young adults in punitive segregation. Under the variance conditions, DOC is required to provide weekly reports to the Board on the status of construction of Secure Units.
    • June 29, 2016Secure Unit opens with three young adults placed there.
    • June 30, 2016Board’s variance to house young adults ages 18 through 21 in Punitive Segregation expires. This date also marks the official end date of Punitive Segregation for 18-year-old young adults.
    • July 7, 2016Board issues a Notice of Violation to DOC for its continued use of Punitive Segregation for young adults ages 19 through 21.
    • July 12, 2016Board grants DOC’s variance request to place young adults ages 19 through 21 in ESH until October 11, 2016. The variance requires each request for approval of a placement in ESH to include reasons why a less restrictive housing option is not a safe option. Additionally, DOC is required to provide the Board with a weekly public report related to young adults held in restrictive housing units and notification and paperwork for young adults placed in these units. The Board also grants DOC’s [fourth] variance request extending deadline to end Punitive Segregation for young adults ages 19 through 21 until October 11, 2016. In addition to previously approved variance conditions, the variance requires DOC increase out-of-cell time for young adults and in punitive segregation, and submit to the Board, by September 6, a report on whether DOC is on track to end punitive segregation for young adults. 
    • September 7, 2016DOC places first young adult in ESH.
    • October 2016Department of Education begins providing regularly scheduled educational services to young adults in ESH.
    • October 11, 2016DOC announces the end of Punitive Segregation for young adults ages 19 through 21. Board grants DOC’s variance requests permitting placement of young adults ages 18 through 21 in ESH (19- through 21-year-olds in ESH until January 11, 2017 and 18 year-olds until April 11, 2017).
    • October 12, 2016DOC opens the Young Adult ESH Assessment Unit, where young adults are restrained to desks during all out-of-cell activities and receive 28-day assessments.
    • October 17, 2016The first young adults enter the Young Adult ESH unit.
    • November 15, 2016Board grants DOC's [second] variance request permitting DOC to provide young adults ages 18 through 21 in the Secure Unit until May 15, 2017.
  • 2017

    • January 11, 2017Board’s variance permitting placement of 19- through 21-year-olds in ESH expires.
    • January 20, 2017Board issues a Notice of Violation of Minimum Standards to DOC for its continued operation of ESH for young adults ages 19 through 21.
    • February 14, 2017Board grants DOC’s variance request permitting the housing of young adults ages 18 through 21 in ESH until August 14, 2017 and modifies placement criteria so that young adults may be only placed in ESH Entry after the young adult has recently committed and/or participated in an actual or attempted slashing or stabbing or activity causing serious injury to another person.
    • March 1, 2017The Department changes the name of the “YA ESH Assessment Unit” to the “YA ESH Entry Unit,” changing the assessment time-period from 28 days to 30 days.
    • May 15, 2017Board grants DOC's [third] variance request permitting the housing of young adults ages 18 through 21 in the Secure Unit until June 15, 2017.
    • June 15, 2017Board grants DOC's [fourth] variance request permitting the housing of young adults ages 18 through 21 in the Secure Unit until July 11, 2017. The variance prohibits DOC’s use of three point restraints and requires DOC provide the Board with a written plan for complying with and reporting on Minimum Standards.
    • July 11, 2017Board grants [fifth] variance request permitting the housing of young adults ages 18 through 21 in the Secure Unit until September 12, 2017.
    • July 2017Board releases an Assessment of ESH for Young Adults.
    • August 15, 2017Board grants DOC’s variance request permitting the housing of young adults ages 18 through 21 in ESH until November 15, 2017. The variance requires DOC provide an update to its evaluation of ESH for young adults and requires DOC advance young adults, absent specific conditions, to units without restraint desks.
    • September 13, 2017Board grants [sixth] variance request permitting the housing of young adults ages 18 through 21 in the Secure Unit until November 21, 2017. The variance requires DOC provide the Board, on at least a monthly basis, with access to documentation considered in each Secure placement and review decision.
    • November 16, 2017Board grants DOC’s variance request permitting the housing of young adults ages 18 through 21 in ESH until May 16, 2018.
    • November 22, 2017Board grants [seventh] variance request permitting the housing of young adults ages 18 through 21 in the Secure Unit until May 22, 2018.
  • 2018

    • May 17, 2018Board grants DOC’s variance renewal request permitting the housing of young adults ages 18 through 21 in ESH until November 17, 2018. The variance requires DOC to update its evaluation of ESH for young adults.
    • May 23, 2018Board grants [eighth] variance request permitting the housing of young adults ages 18 through 21 in the Secure Unit until November 23, 2018.
    • November 17, 2018Board grants DOC’s variance renewal request permitting the housing of young adults ages 18 through 21 in ESH for young adults until February 17, 2019. The variance requires DOC to provide the Board with a monthly audit of operations of YA-ESH.
    • November 23, 2018Board grants [ninth] variance request permitting the housing of young adults ages 18 through 21 in the Secure Unit until May 23, 2019.
  • 2019

    • February 12, 2019Board grants DOC’s variance renewal request permitting the housing of young adults ages 18 through 21 in ESH for young adults until August 19, 2019. The variance requires DOC to provide the Board with a monthly audit of operations of YA-ESH.