Occ. Code 8740800

Assistant director special housing & inmate disciplinary program, M-2	8740800
director special housing & inmate disciplinary program, M-4	8740900

New York State Department of Civil Service

Classification Standard

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF CLASS SERIES

Positions in this title series are responsible for all Special Housing Units, inmate disciplinary processes, the urinalysis testing of inmates and contraband drug testing in the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS).  Incumbents review, implement, and monitor policy, procedures, and regulations pertaining to inmate discipline, Special Housing Units, urinalysis testing of inmates and contraband drug testing. 

These positions are classified at DOCCS Main Office.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR SPECIAL HOUSING & INMATE DISCIPLINARY PROGRAM:  one position class; assists the Director in the review, development, implementation and monitoring of policies, procedures, and regulations relating to inmate rules, disciplinary processes, Special Housing Units, urinalysis testing of inmates, and contraband drug testing.

DIRECTOR SPECIAL HOUSING & INMATE DISCIPLINARY PROGRAM: non-competitive; one position class; primary responsibility for the review, development, implementation, and monitoring of policies, procedures, and regulations relating to inmate rules, disciplinary processes, Special Housing Units, urinalysis testing of inmates, and contraband drug testing.

ILLUSTRATIVE DUTIES

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR SPECIAL HOUSING & INMATE DISCIPLINARY PROGRAM

Assists the Director Special Housing & Inmate Disciplinary Program in the review, development, implementation, and monitoring of Departmental policies, procedures, and regulations relating to inmate rules, disciplinary processes, Special Housing Units, urinalysis testing, and contraband drug testing.

Reviews existing Departmental directives and regulations to determine their appropriateness and legality.

• Drafts revised and/or new policies and procedures to ensure compliance with changing legal standards and to increase administrative effectiveness.

• Directs and coordinates the activities of subordinate staff.

• Ensures compliance with established policies and procedures.

• Assists the Attorney General’s staffing defending the Department’s disciplinary actions in State and federal court.

• Provides input on the transfer of inmates assigned to Special Housing Units.

Assists in the development of comprehensive training curricula for staff in all areas of the inmate disciplinary process, ranging from report writing to the actual conducting of Superintendent’s and Disciplinary Hearings, and the urinalysis and contraband drug testing process.

Assists in the development of new or revised programs for inmates who have become disciplinary problems because of special adjustment difficulties.

• Directs subordinate staff in the performance of studies of the types of adjustment problems faced by disciplinary problem inmates who have been placed in Special Housing Units.

• Reviews statistical data to ensure compliance with regulations and determine trends.

Assists in the development of standards for design and modification of Special Housing Units (SHU).

• Directs subordinate staff to perform on-site inspections of Special Housing Units to determine the current conditions of confinement and any major refinements which must be made.

• Conducts periodic site visits at the facility level to review compliance with regulations, observes conditions, and confers with facility executive staff concerning Special Housing Unit, inmate disciplinary operations, and urinalysis testing procedures.

Assists in the administration of the activities of all Special Housing Units within the Department.

• Assists in the program development and program review of aspects of all Special Housing Units.

• Assigns subordinate staff to review conditions and compliance with regulations in all Special Housing Units.

• Provides technical expertise to facility staff involved with Special Housing Units, the inmate disciplinary process, and urinalysis and contraband drug testing procedures.

DIRECTOR SPECIAL HOUSING & INMATE DISCIPLINARY PROGRAM

May perform all of the same duties and functions as an Assistant Director Special Housing and Inmate Disciplinary Programs.

Under the direction of the Deputy Commissioner, has primary responsibility for reviewing, developing, implementing and monitoring of Departmental policies, procedures, and regulations relating to inmate rules, disciplinary processes, urinalysis, and contraband drug testing.

• Reviews existing Departmental directives and regulations to determine their appropriateness and legality.

• Develops revised and/or new policies and procedures to ensure compliance with changing legal standards and to increase administrative effectiveness.

• Directs and coordinates the activities of subordinate staff.

• Ensures compliance with established policies and procedures.

• Provides input on transfers of inmates assigned to Special Housing Units.

Acts on behalf of the Commissioner in reviewing all Superintendent’s hearing appeals.

• Reviews all appealed determinations rendered in Superintendent’s Hearings and, based upon his/her review, issues a decision to sustain, overturn, or amend those determinations.

• Monitors compliance with established policies and procedures related to the Inmate Disciplinary Program (i.e.; when necessary, the Hearing Officer obtained qualified confidential testimony of an inmate’s mental state, or intellectual capacity and the written statement of the disposition of the charges reflect how the inmate’s mental state or intellectual capacity was considered).

• As needed, provides testimony in litigation relating to disciplinary matters.

• Maintains a continuing liaison with various legal groups, such as Prisoners’ Legal Services, and the Legal Aid Society, to discuss and attempt to resolve appeals and questions relating to disciplinary proceedings.

Develops comprehensive training curricula for staff in all areas of the inmate disciplinary process, ranging from report writing to the actual conducting of Superintendent’s Hearings, and Disciplinary Hearings, as well as the urinalysis and contraband drug testing process.

• Maintains a continuing liaison with company representatives regarding the urinalysis and contraband drug testing procedures to discuss and attempt to resolve technical questions relating to these procedures and training opportunities.

Assists in the development of new or revised programs for inmates who have become disciplinary problems because of special adjustment difficulties.

• Directs subordinate staff in the performance of studies of the types of adjustment problems faced by disciplinary problem inmates who have been placed in Special Housing Units.

Develops standards for design and modification of Special Housing Units.

• Directs subordinate staff to perform on-site inspections of Special Housing Units to determine the current conditions of confinement and any major refinements which must be made.

Provides administrative direction and directs supervision.

• Assigns the workload of unit staff and reviews work performance.

Provides administrative direction over all the activities of all Special Housing Units within the Department.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR SPECIAL HOUSING & INMATE DISCIPLINARY PROGRAM

Promotion:  four years of permanent competitive service with the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, of which one or more years must have been in a position allocated at Salary Grade 20 or higher.

DIRECTOR SPECIAL HOUSING & INMATE DISCIPLINARY PROGRAM

Non-Competitive:  one year of permanent competitive service as an Assistant Director Special Housing & Inmate Disciplinary Program.

Rev: 7/18

NOTE: Classification Standards illustrate the nature, extent and scope of duties and responsibilities of the classes they describe.  Standards cannot and do not include all of the work that might be appropriately performed by a class.  The minimum qualifications above are those which were required for appointment at the time the Classification Standard was written.  Please contact the Division of Staffing Services for current information on minimum qualification requirements for appointment or examination.