News

Testimony before the

New York City Council

Committees on Criminal Justice, General Welfare, Education

Chairs Carlina Rivera, Diana Ayala, Rita Joseph

By

Francis Torres, Deputy Commissioner of the Division of Programs and Community Partnerships

NYC Department of Correction

October 13, 2023

Good morning, Chairs Rivera, Ayala, and Joseph and members of the Committees on Criminal Justice, General Welfare, and Education. I am Francis Torres, Deputy Commissioner of the Division of Programs and Community Partnerships. I thank you all for this opportunity to discuss how the New York City Department of Correction (“Department” or “DOC”) supports individuals in achieving academic success while in our care. Access to education is proven to reduce recidivism and improve outcomes. We make every effort to encourage those in our care, especially all 18-through 21-year-olds, to participate in the array of educational services available to them because it is their right.

Early this year we fully staffed our Educational Services Unit, who support these efforts, with one Program Manager and three Education Specialists. Our staff meet with all 18- through 21-year-olds who are admitted to the Department’s custody to inform them of their right to access educational services provided by the New York City Public Schools (“NYCPS”).  We ensure NYCPS has dedicated spaces throughout our facilities; and we carefully identify, select, train, and assign uniformed staff members to support NYCPS’ daily operation, including escorts to and from school.  Over the years, our partnership has resulted in the rollout of an annual congregate graduation ceremony, the integration of technology within the school sites at Rikers Island, and a Memorandum of Understanding to afford career and technical education.

Recognizing that peer engagement and support can be a critical motivator for this age group, which we refer to as emerging adults, the Department has developed dedicated school housing areas at the Robert N. Davoren Center (“RNDC”) for those that are interested in attending school, to ensure they live with like-minded peers who are focused on academic achievement. Individuals living in these housing areas are expected to attend school daily and are provided with school uniforms and specialized incentives to create a sense of normalcy and maintain peer-supported motivation for success. In addition to the school housing units at RNDC, we opened an Emergent Adult Program house at the Rose M. Singer Center ("RMSC"), to similarly support individuals in that facility who are interested in attending school. This innovative approach, as well as the engagement efforts of our Educational Services staff, have contributed to increased enrollment and better outcomes for our emerging adults. Due to the success of this initiative, we continue to open dedicated school housing areas to meet growing demand so that our young adults have every opportunity for success.

As an agency, we have also been very focused on leveraging technology to improve operations and expand opportunities. We have been diligently working on the computerization of the GED exam at our school sites so that students can take the exam online and receive their score in minutes. The first computerized GED exam was offered at RNDC last year, and we have since expanded computerized testing to RMSC and the George R. Vierno Center (“GRVC), with plans to open another site at the Otis Bantum Correctional Center in the near future. We also offer the KA Lite application on the tablets issued to persons in custody, which affords educational content including math, science, economics and finance, arts and humanities, computing, SAT test prep, partner content, college, careers, and more.

Finally, we recognize that learning does not only take place in a classroom and is not reserved solely for young people. We proudly partner with Columbia University, Manhattan College, and most recently LaGuardia Community College to offer credit-bearing courses in different interest areas; students who complete their course are admitted to the institution to continue their pursuit of a college degree upon release. Our partnerships with colleges and universities have allowed 233 individuals to earn 3 college credits each while in our care. To celebrate this achievement, the end of each semester is marked by a ceremony which includes the student’s family members.

Through our partnership with NYCPS and community-based providers, we offer a robust menu of workforce development programs, including certificate and certification courses. Certificate courses offer introductory, hands-on vocational training for in-demand trades, including cosmetology, carpentry, culinary arts, welding, driving, and barbering. Since the beginning of this Administration, we have had over 1,800 enrollments and over 1,600 completions.  In fiscal year 2024 alone, there have been 122 enrollments in certificate courses and 122 successful completions. Certifications are credentials that verify legitimacy and competency to meet certain criteria and perform a job, and include various OSHA training courses, flagging, scaffolding, and CPR/First Aid.  From January 2022 to present we have had nearly 5,000 enrollments and over 4,500 certifications earned. So far, this fiscal year, there have been 58 enrollments in certification courses, and 58 certifications earned. Workforce development courses are afforded primarily in dedicated classrooms within the schools or at any of our programmatic centers. The P.E.A.C.E. (Programs, Education, and Community Engagement) Center, located at RNDC, consists of dedicated spaces to conduct automotive, carpentry, digital literacy, driving simulation, welding, and other courses. It also includes amenities such as a film screening room, engineering and music studio, and video and table-top games. In November 2022, the Department opened its B.E.A.C.O.N. (Building, Educating, Advancing, and Creating Opportunities for Networking) Center at GRVC to afford similar opportunities to individuals housed within that facility. Individuals who participate in workforce development programs while in the jails are connected to community-based workforce programs to continue training and exploring opportunities made available through our partners post-release. 

We are grateful for the many strong partnerships – with NYCPS, colleges and universities, and community-based organizations – that create opportunities for continued growth for those in our custody, and those reintegrating into our communities after release. I am available to answer any questions that you may have.