DASHBOARD UPDATE: NYC Comptroller Releases New Monthly Data on Department of Correction Operations

 

The New York City Comptroller’s Office released its monthly update to the Department of Correction (DOC) Dashboard, available here.

Key monthly DOC metrics show:

• As of November 1st, the number of people housed in DOC jails was 6,162, a decrease of 10 from the previous month.
• People admitted to the jail increased to 1,847 in October, with 39 more people admitted than in September. People discharged from the jail increased to 1,853, higher by 67 month-over-month.
• Judges assigned cash bail to over 1,000 people (1,147) in September.
• In September, the average length of stay increased to 109, a 17-day increase from the prior month.
• Incarcerated people missed medical appointments 13,610 times in September, a decrease of 2,836 from August.
• The average number of uniformed staff decreased by 78 officers between August and September, totaling 6,340.
• Although 2023 saw a drop in total uniformed staff compared to the previous year, the annual average of incarcerated people increased.
• The total number of uniformed staff declined by 769 (11 percent) in 2023 compared to the 2022 according to the most recent Annual Comprehensive Financial Report.
• The annual average persons incarcerated increased to 5,873, an increase of 314 (6%) from the prior year.
• The ratio of inmates to staff in Fiscal Year 2023 is 0.93, an increase from 0.78 from the previous fiscal year.
• The total number of officers on sick leave decreased to 414, continuing the Department’s downward trend.
• Violence indicators mostly increased in October.
• Assaults on staff increased to 56, an increase of 1 from September.
• Fights increased to 447, an increase of 76. This was a reversal from the previous month, in-line with previous numbers.
• Slashings and stabbings decreased to 38, a decrease of 8 since September.
• Both the rate and the total number of Use of Force incidents increased in the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2024.
• At least 9 incarcerated people died on Rikers this year.

H+H did not publish statistics on the percentage of people with serious mental illness this month. The most recent update was as of September 2023.

“As the urgency for reform intensifies, Rikers faces a growing consensus that in order to address its persistent incidents of violence and death, the jail complex requires a federal receiver. A system shrouded in secrecy and shielded from public scrutiny should not and cannot operate without adequate oversight and transparency. The horrific realities of City jails demand a united call for change that brings an end to the longstanding issues plaguing Rikers to ensure a safer, more just future for all,” said Comptroller Brad Lander.

Comptroller Lander was the first citywide elected officials to call for a federal receiver of Rikers Island in October 2022. Damian Williams, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, on November 17, 2023.

The Comptroller’s dashboard, first published in August 2022, monitors pervasive issues in the City’s jails, including staff absenteeism, missed medical appointments, and incidents of violence among detained people and staff. It also tracks the jail population every month and length of stay. The Comptroller’s office publishes data to this dashboard monthly to provide increased transparency and accountability over the City’s jail system.

View the DOC Dashboard here.