Occ. Code 8775100
correction sentencing review specialist, GRADE 22
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8775100
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correction sentencing review coordinator, m-1
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8775000
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New York State Department of
Civil Service
Classification Standard
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF CLASS
SERIES
Positions in this title
series administer the Sentencing Review Unit. Incumbents work with
correctional facility staff to ensure that all inmates in the custody of the
Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) have been provided
with accurate release dates. Incumbents are responsible for conducting
regional training seminars for correctional facility staff regarding sentencing
laws and assist in the preparation of computer programs which calculate
inmates release dates.
These positions are
classified at DOCCS.
DISTINGUISHING
CHARACTERISTICS
correction sentencing review specialist:
full performance level; works with correctional facility staff to ensure
that all inmates in this Departments custody have been provided with accurate
release dates.
correction sentencing review coordinator:
managerial level; one position class; provides primary assistance to the
Associate Counsel and the administration of the Sentencing Review Unit.
RELATED CLASSES
Extradition Specialists
recommend and implement changes and/or enhancements to current policies and
procedures; and work closely with staff from Security Services, Research, and
Classification and Movement, as well as other State agencies such as the
Division for Youth and the Division of Parole, to ensure implementation of
these changes.
Correction
Classification Analysts analyze inmate placement policies and procedures at
assigned facilities. Incumbents develop and maintain inmate programming
procedures, and develop policies in reclassification, transfer, and planning
systems.
Assistant
Directors and Director of Inmate Classification and Movement direct, control,
and coordinate the Departments inmate classification activities, and have
overall responsibility for placement of inmates. Incumbents develop program
policy and implement and monitor approved policies.
ILLUSTRATIVE DUTIES
Correction sentencing review specialist
Responds to voluminous inquiries
regarding sentencing laws and release date calculations as governed by the
Penal Law, the Correction Law, the Sentencing Reform Act of 1995, Jennas Law, the
Drug Law Reform Act of 2004 and the Sex Offender Management and Treatment Act
of 2007.
- Reviews Central Office records
and prepares a complete chronology of the inmates criminal history,
listing all crimes of conviction, lengths of sentences, jail time credits,
dates of admittance and release, as well as any court orders which modify
the sentences of imprisonment.
- Determines the sentencing
statutes and judicial rulings which apply to the facts of the inmates
case in question.
- Verifies and/or corrects the
inmates release dates.
- Reviews existing or proposed
legislation to identify problems that have been or may be created by such
proposals as they relate to sentencing and time calculations.
Reviews current rap sheets to
assess eligibility for presumptive release pursuant to Correction Law 806.
- Reviews New York State criminal
history summaries for convictions that would render inmates ineligible for
presumptive release.
- Reviews other jurisdictions
criminal history summaries for convictions that would render inmates
ineligible for presumptive release.
- Requests the DOCCS Office of
Guidance to provide additional information for criminal history summaries
requiring clarification.
- Advises the DOCCS Office of
Guidance whether inmates criminal histories render them ineligible for
presumptive release.
Develops training materials to
use in the calculation of release dates and provides training to staff on
proper release date calculations as affected by recent sentencing legislation.
- Develops, updates, and
distributes revised training materials regarding existing and newly
enacted sentencing laws for use as a resource in time computation.
- Provides training seminars on a
regional basis throughout the State.
- Schedules and presents
emergency training courses where legislation or court precedent has
impacted dramatically on the time computation process.
- Instructs facility Inmate
Records Coordinator Office staff in the implementation of new computer
time computation programs.
Advises Inmate Records
Coordinators in the correct calculation of inmates release dates.
- Determines the most complex
sentencing computations and enters the release dates into the computer.
- Responds to inquiries from
facility staff regarding time computations.
- Manually programs those
inmates release dates that cannot be entered by facility staff, using
existing computer programs.
Reviews all nunc
pro tunc sentences, which are terms of incarceration commenced by the court
before the inmate is received by DOCCS.
- Researches and processes nunc
pro tunc sentences as they are received by DOCCS.
- Ascertains whether the court has
reduced the inmates sentence by time spent at liberty.
- Calculates release dates, enters
dates on computer, and advises correctional facility staff on their entry.
Reviews Maximum Expiration for
Parole Supervision (MEPS) cases, and calculates MEPS release dates pursuant to
the Court of Appeals decision in Matter of Sparago v. NYS Parole Board.
- Receives notification from the
Division of Parole of the occurrence of a MEPS case.
- Calculates release dates, enters
information into the computer mainframe, and forwards sentence computation
to facility for filing.
Acts as back-up for the Associate
Counsel and/or the Correction Sentencing Review Coordinator during his or her
absence.
Correction sentencing review COORDINATOR
May perform all of the same
duties and functions as a Correction Sentencing Review Specialist.
Ensures DOCCS prompt compliance
with vacaturs and other court orders which affect inmates terms of
incarceration, or require their immediate discharge from DOCCS.
- Receives the certified vacatur
or court order issued by the trial court, Appellate Division, Court of
Appeals, or Federal District Court, and determines the appropriate action
necessary to satisfy the courts direction.
- Notifies the inmates facility
of the action required, which may be a change in the inmates release
dates, immediate release from custody, or discharge to the custody of the
county sheriff pending retrial.
Assists the Associate Counsel in
defending legal proceedings brought against DOCCS by inmates challenging the
calculation of their release dates.
- Conducts a thorough review of
the inmates records and prepares a detailed chronological outline of the
facts relevant to the inmates history of incarceration.
- Testifies in court on behalf of
DOCCS regarding the procedures involved in determining accurate release
dates.
Responds to related inquiries
regarding inmates incarceration by DOCCS.
- Reviews correspondence drafted
by the Correction Sentencing Review Specialists for the signature of the
Deputy Commissioner and Counsel or the Associate Counsel.
- Based upon a complete review of
the inmates record of incarceration prior to vacatur, determines
eligibility for immediate release pursuant to Criminal Procedure Law Section
430.20(4).
· Assists the US Immigration
and Naturalization Service, the NYS Division of Parole, prosecutors, defense
counsel, and inmates in determining eligibility for early release and
deportation in accordance with the Sentencing Reform Act of 1995.
- Advises the New York City
Department of Correction and county correctional facilities regarding
possible jail time discrepancies, as defined by Penal Law Section
70.30(3).
Works with DOCCS MIS Unit in the
capacity of a subject matter expert to improve existing computer programs which
calculate release dates, and to develop new programs as sentencing laws are
changed by the Legislature.
- Identifies problems with
existing programs, makes recommendations for possible changes and
solutions, and works with the MIS representative to resolve the problem.
- Reviews the changes with the
MIS liaison to identify problems created by the legislation, and to assist
in the development of appropriate new mainframe programs.
- Tests new programs prior to
their release to the facilities.
- Trains all facility Inmate
Records Coordinator Office staff Statewide in the implementation of new
program.
Working with the Associate
Counsel and the Office of Classification and Movement, develops and updates a
comprehensive guide which assists facility IRCs in the proper calculation of
release dates.
- Coordinates the development of
a resource manual for facility use that incorporates both time computation
methodology and the appropriate legal references.
- Coordinates manual updates
which reflect the impact of new or modified legislation and case law.
Directs the development of
material to be used on a Statewide basis for the training of facility IRC
Office staff, Guidance Office staff, Division of Parole staff, and local
jurisdictions, regarding proper time computations.
- Supervises the Sentencing
Review Specialists in the updating of existing material and develops new
training material relating to recent legislation affecting sentencing and
time computations.
- Supervises the scheduling of
training seminars for each facility.
- Evaluates the effectiveness of
the training programs.
Oversees the Correction Sentencing
Review Specialists in working with DOCCSs MIS Unit in the continuing
development and update of release date computer programs as sentencing laws are
revised.
- Reviews problems identified by
the Correction Sentencing Review Specialists and the MIS liaison and
suggests possible changes and solutions.
- Reviews and submits to the
Associate Counsel for approval all new programs prior to implementation at
the facility level.
- Reviews possibly improper sentences
of imprisonment and/or release.
- Reviews data and researches all
questionable sentences of imprisonment.
- Advises the appropriate
sentencing courts of any illegalities discovered as a result of the
review.
- Responds to inquiries from
facilities and local jurisdictions regarding erroneous release of inmates.
Supervises subordinate staff.
- Provides supervision, guidance,
and oversight to subordinate staff, and intervenes and resolves problems
as necessary.
- Determines and oversees staff
assignments.
- Approves leave and tracks time
and attendance.
- Reviews, monitors, and evaluates
staff performance.
- Completes performance
evaluations.
- Identifies training needs and
arranges for provision of training.
- Manages
and directs program activities by setting priorities and deadlines.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Correction sentencing review SPECIALIST
Promotion: one year of
permanent competitive service as an Inmate Records Coordinator 2; or two
years of permanent competitive service as an Inmate Records Coordinator 1.
Correction sentencing review COORDINATOR
Promotion: one year of
permanent competitive service as a Correction Sentencing Review Specialist; or
two years of permanent competitive service as an Inmate Records Coordinator 2; or
four years of permanent competitive service as an Inmate Records Coordinator 1.
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.