Former Incarceree Named First NYC Deputy Jail Commissioner
The appointment of Stanley Richards, the first former incarceree to fill the position, is seen as a watershed moment in the evolution of correctional practices.
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Stanley Richards. Photo courtesy The Fortune Society
Stanley Richards, long-time executive vice-president of the Fortune Society and Vice-Chair of the New York City Board of Correction, who was incarcerated on Rikers Island in the 1980s for two and a half years, has been appointed First Deputy Commissioner of Programs and Operations at the New York City Department of Correction (DOC), reports the Fortune Society.
The department is not aware of any other person in its long history who was previously in DOC custody and went on to serve in a senior leadership position.
It amounts to a “watershed moment” not only in the history of the agency but in the evolution of correctional practices, the Fortune Society said.
Richards began working as a counselor at the Fortune Society in 1991, helping other people reenter society and furthering the mission of the organization, which supports the successful re-entry of formerly incarcerated individuals.
In 2014, Richards was recognized by President Barack Obama’s administration as a Champion of Change for his commitment to helping individuals who are impacted by the justice system. Richards also made history when he became the first formerly incarcerated person to be appointed by the City Council Speaker to the NYC Board of Correction, which sets minimum standards for care and provides oversight to DOC.
“Stanley Richards has been at the forefront of criminal justice reform for decades,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “His lived experience makes him uniquely qualified to transform our jails and create a system that focuses on rehabilitation. I’m confident that he will move us forward in our work to create a jail system that is smaller, safer, and more humane.”
