Requiring the depts of correction and health and mental hygiene to report on cases of injuries to inmates and staff in city jails, and to refer such cases to investigative agencies.

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring the departments of correction and health and mental hygiene to report on cases of injuries to inmates and staff in city jails, and to refer such cases to investigative agencies.

The Department of Health and Mental Health (“DOHMH”) oversees the health care of all inmates in the custody of the Department of Correction (“DOC”). This bill requires the DOHMH to review all treatment of inmates for particularly serious injuries, including injuries to the head or other serious physical injuries. The DOHMH would be required to report all such injuries to agencies that have the authority to investigate them: the Board of Correction, the Department of Investigation, and the Investigative Division of the DOC. The bill would also require the DOHMH to report on the number of such injuries they treat on a quarterly basis. The bill would also require the Investigation Division of the DOC to investigate all such injuries, and to report on the outcomes of these investigations at every step of the process, including any disciplinary steps taken against staff who cause such injuries. The bill also requires the DOC to report on the number of such injuries that are incurred by inmates on a quarterly basis. The bill also imposes parallel reporting requirements for incidents in which inmates assault Correction staff: the DOC must report on all injuries and serious injuries incurred by staff due to an assault by an inmate on a quarterly basis, must refer all such physical injuries to the Investigation Division of the DOC, and must refer all such serious injuries to the District Attorney’s office with jurisdiction over the alleged assault. The DOC must also make a good faith effort to obtain information from the District Attorney regarding the outcomes of any such referrals.