黑料正能量 Note: In NYC, a person with lived experience in the criminal justice system will now act as a partner on the city鈥檚 Board of Correction. The potential role for peers across the system(s) are vast, including within the jails and prisons themselves to act as liaisons for people integrating back into the community. 黑料正能量 is committed to building the foundation necessary to build more of these vital positions.
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Mark-Viverito Taps Former Inmate for Correction Board
Capital 黑料正能量; Gloria Pazmino, 5/21/2015
City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito will nominate Stanley Richards, a former inmate turned advocate, to the city鈥檚 Board of Correction.
Richards, 54, grew up in the Soundview section of the Bronx and spent over a decade in and out of the 黑料正能量 State correctional system. He was released in 1991 after serving a final sentence of four and a half years for robbery.
He now serves as the senior vice president of The Fortune Society, a nonprofit organization that works to support inmates鈥 reentry and promotes alternatives to incarceration.
Mark-Viverito presented his nomination to the Council’s Democratic caucus on Thursday.
In an interview with Capital, Richards said his time in jail makes him a unique candidate to serve on the board, which is responsible for setting minimum standards for the city鈥檚 jails and oversees the Department of Correction.
鈥淢y experience and my work will add a tremendous amount to the board鈥擨 lived it,鈥 Richards told Capital. 鈥淚 was in those cells. I鈥檝e seen the brutality, I鈥檝e seen what it鈥檚 like when all the newspapers go away, when the commissioner doesn鈥檛 visit, when the captains and the wardens go home. I know what that environment is like.鈥
Richards was first hired as a counselor by The Fortune Society in 1991 after his release and worked his way up, becoming manager of career development, and then deputy executive director. He is personally responsible for helping to develop Fortune鈥檚 鈥渄rop-in center鈥 in Queens Plaza, which helps outgoing inmates who are dropped off from Rikers Island.
While in jail, Richards earned his G.E.D. and a college degree.
鈥淚t really gave me the foundation to say, 鈥榃ait a minute, what am I doing?鈥” he said. “I am not the dumb kid who couldn鈥檛 do anything, who was destined to a life of crime, prison or death, and I started realizing that the power of my life was not in the power of the police officers in my community, or the system, it rested with the decisions that I made.”
Richards has already met with Department of Correction commissioner Joseph Ponte about his appointment.
Describing Ponte as a 鈥渃hange agent,鈥 Richards said he wants to hold the department accountable but not 鈥渂eat them over the head鈥 at the board鈥檚 monthly meetings.
鈥淚 want to be part of the solution, I want to be part of the helping the system get better鈥攂e about minimum standards, or about conditions of care and custody and control, the opportunities that we provide to people as we hold them accountable to give [inmates] second chances so they don鈥檛 come back, there is a huge opportunity to do that,鈥 Richards said.
Asked about the current conditions at Rikers and the focus that has been placed on the department in the last year, Richards said he was not surprised by reports detailing the jail’s violent culture.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a closed system, it鈥檚 very isolated and controlled by perceptions that people who are in there are people that don鈥檛 deserve to be treated like humans, so what we are hearing now has been going on for many, many years,鈥 Richards said.
If confirmed, Richards will replace Alexander Rovt, a Bloomberg appointee, whose term officially expired in 2008, and who submitted his resignation earlier this month.
In a statement to Capital, Mark-Viverito said the Council is 鈥減roud鈥 to nominate Richards.
鈥淗is unique perspective of personal experience with the criminal justice system will provide needed oversight and transparency to 黑料正能量 City鈥檚 jail system,鈥 Mark-Viverito said. 鈥淪tanley is an exemplary member of the community who has dedicated his career to helping the formerly incarcerated successfully transition back into society and the Council looks forward to working with Stanley and the entire Board of Correction as we work together to improve the conditions of 黑料正能量 City鈥檚 jails.鈥
The Council is expected to take up the nomination in June.
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