News

Testimony before the

New York City Council

Committee on Criminal Justice 

Chair Selvena Brooks-Powers

By

Stanley Richards, Commissioner

NYC Department of Correction

February 19, 2026

     Good morning, Chair Brooks-Powers and members of the Committee on Criminal Justice. I am Stanley Richards, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Correction (“Department” or “DOC”) and I am joined by Nell Colón, Deputy Commissioner for the Division of Programs and Community Partnerships. I am deeply honored to be here today, and grateful to Mayor Mamdani for the opportunity to serve in this role. My journey—including my own experience of incarceration—has shaped my life’s work, and I am here before you committed to ensuring that this Department reflects hope, transformation, transparency, and accountability. 

     Let me begin with humility. I have been in this position for just a few days, and I am listening; I am learning; I am meeting with staff and those in our care across all facilities, speaking with partners, reviewing data, and digesting the full scope of the operations and the challenges.  While I intend to hit the ground running, it would not be prudent of me to offer or commit to detailed operational changes quite yet. But I can be clear about the direction in which we are headed: we are turning the page, and we are doing so with eyes wide open.

     The task before us is not a six-month project. It is not even a one-year project. Transforming a jail system with the size and complexity of New York City’s is not like steering a speedboat, it is like turning a cruise ship. It requires steady leadership, disciplined coordination, collaboration, and the patience to move deliberately and sustainably. Once we turn, we must continue forward with consistency and purpose. This work will take time, and I am here to see it through. 

     My strategic mission rests on four interconnected pillars. First: safe, humane jails. Safety is foundational. Without safety, nothing else works. Safety must extend to correction officers, non-uniformed staff, and the people in our care alike. But safety cannot come at the expense of dignity. I do not believe that a humane environment is in tension with security; I believe it strengthens it. When we center our work on order, fairness, and accountability—and when we refuse to judge people solely by the worst thing that they have ever done—we create conditions where transformation becomes possible. 

     Second, I am focused on developing and strengthening partnerships. Although the Department of Correction is situated on an island, it does not operate in isolation. Reducing recidivism and violence requires collaboration across a wide array of stakeholders, including City partners like the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice (MOCJ), the Department of Probation, Health + Hospitals/Correctional Health Services, the New York City Public School System, external program providers, faith leaders, community-based organizations, and this Council. It’s important to note that this city does not operate in isolation, either. This work relies on strong partnerships with state agencies and organizations that impact who may come into contact with the criminal legal system. Effective reentry planning begins on day one of incarceration, not on the day of discharge. But we know that, ultimately, the most effective strategy is prevention. We must strengthen the bridges between custody and community so that support begins before incarceration and does not stop at the gate upon release. 

     Third, I am intent on supporting responsible population reduction and a true continuum of care by leveraging all of our partners.  Population reduction is not simply a numerical goal, it is part of creating conditions where programming, counseling, education, substance use services, and reentry planning can function as intended. A true continuum of care means individuals have access to structured programming while in custody and clear pathways to housing, employment, treatment, and community support upon release. We must measure success not by lives locked up, but by lives transformed. 

     Last but certainly not least, a critical part of my vision for this agency is to prepare the Department for borough-based jails. The transition away from Rikers Island represents a historic shift. Borough-based facilities demand a different model: closer coordination with communities, enhanced focus on services, and new facilities designed with rehabilitation in mind. We must ensure that our workforce, our partnerships, and our infrastructure are aligned with that future.  We cannot, however, forget that we are still years away from completing this move, and resources will be needed for those who still live and work on Rikers Island.  There are many hardworking and dedicated public servants at this agency that are already engaged in this vision, and I am excited to learn more and to lean in and support and strengthen our contributions to this monumental, city-wide project. 
 
    Finally, I would like to touch on the topic of this hearing, because it is an important and personal one. Programming matters. Evidence-based interventions and counseling, educational services, vocational training, substance use programming, faith-based engagement, and structured discharge planning all play a role in reducing future system involvement. Reentry coordination, discharge planning, and partnerships with community providers are essential components of preparing individuals for a successful return home. As I transitioned into this position, I had an opportunity to reconnect with some familiar members of service and meet some new staff, and I can assure you that there is no group of individuals who want change and improvements more than the woman and men who represent New York’s Boldest. We have a team within this agency that is highly qualified, that is passionate, that is dedicated to this work—the work of transformation, and I am excited to support them. We know that technology can be used to further enhance community connection, and I intend to explore how to continue to modernize the Department in order to expand access to both services and access to loved ones. Pathways to employment following release must be real, and so we will collaborate closely to our partners to strengthen and support that continuum of care between jail and community. Social services must be accessible, and so I want to make sure the Department’s Division of Programs and Community Partnerships is robust and equipped to do the challenging and important work to which they have been drawn—because it is a calling.  

     But programs alone do not reduce recidivism. Leadership reduces recidivism. Stability reduces recidivism. Hope reduces recidivism. Over the coming weeks and months, I will be reviewing participation rates, service delivery models, staffing structures, and outcomes data. I will speak with program staff, uniformed staff, service providers, and people in custody. I will work closely with partners and stakeholders across the criminal justice system, because this work cannot be done alone. The Department of Correction does not determine who comes into custody; meaningful progress on recidivism requires that all stakeholders come to the table to provide people with tools to have a better future, with less adverse contact with the justice system.  Reform is not only possible, it is essential. But it must be grounded in facts, transparency, collaboration, and a clear-eyed assessment of what works and what needs strengthening. 

     This will not be easy. There will be setbacks. There will be moments when progress feels incremental. But transformation in large systems is built through consistent, disciplined effort—cruise ships, not speedboats. 

     To the uniformed and non-uniformed staff of this Department: your safety and professionalism are central to this mission. We cannot build safe jails without you. I know that each of you works long hours to keep our facilities safe and investing in staff morale and well-being must be pillars of our success. Your dedication has the power to change the trajectory of someone’s life. To the individuals in our custody and their families: your story is not over. Our responsibility is to create conditions where redemption and successful reentry are possible. And to the Council and the people of New York City: I commit to collaboration, transparency, and sustained effort. We will move forward deliberately. We will measure our progress honestly. And we will stay focused on building a Department that New Yorkers can be proud of, one defined by progress. The road ahead is long, but I am here, and I am committed to this mission.  

Thank you for the opportunity to speak today. 

Legislation

     Introduction 246 would require the Department to return all unused commissary funds to individuals prior to them leaving custody. The Department shares the Council’s goal of ensuring that individuals can access and claim their funds when leaving custody so that those funds are not abandoned. DOC provides several avenues for individuals to collect their institutional funds prior to or during discharge. Individuals can collect up to $200 in cash immediately upon discharge and can request a check for any remaining funds. Individuals can also collect their funds in the same manner for up to 120 days following discharge at any of the Department’s cashier windows. Additionally, individuals can arrange to have their institutional funds transferred to a loved one in the community at any point prior to discharge. Our data shows that the $200 cash cap does not appear to be the barrier for the vast majority of individuals collecting their funds at discharge. Nearly 70 percent of individuals who do not claim their funds when leaving custody have $100 or less remaining in their accounts. DOC would like to work with Council on an alternate plan to resolve the longstanding issue of unclaimed commissary funds that addresses the root cause of the issue.