How Gang Affiliates Wound Up Hired as Jail Guards
A report out today from the NYC Department of Investigations details problems with the hiring practices at city jails, including poor screening and recruitment efforts. Mark Peters, DOI commissioner, explains the report's recommendations and what it could mean for reform at Rikers and other jails.
According to a write-up of the findings in the New York Times today:
In a review of 153 applications of people the Correction Department recently hired, city investigators found that more than one-third had problems that either should have disqualified them or needed further scrutiny. Ten had been arrested more than once; 12 had previously been rejected by the New York Police Department, six of them for “psychological reasons”; and 79 had relatives or friends who were current or former inmates, a potential security threat, officials said.
Among the problems found with the Dept of Corrections hiring process: no screening for gang affiliation. Listen: https://t.co/zNiVz08ni6
— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) January 15, 2015
Why do applicants w/ red flags get hired as corrections officers? DOI commish Peters says recruiters didn't know if 1 or 5 was highest score
— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) January 15, 2015
The recruitment division for the Dept of Corrections was shut down in 2009. For budget reasons. Listen live: https://t.co/zNiVz08ni6
— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) January 15, 2015
.@DOINews' Mark Peters to @BrianLehrer: #NYPD does excellent recruitment, we're recommending to Corrections that it emulates.
— Ben Max (@TweetBenMax) January 15, 2015
"Most of the corrections officers we have dealt w/ do a very difficult job, do it well and with honor," says DOI Commish. But all need to.
— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) January 15, 2015
"There was a troubling disconnect between the CCRD and the former police commissioner (Kelly)." Mark Peters of DOI on the chokeholds report.
— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) January 15, 2015
