Recruit, Recover, and Rebuild

In March 2025, DOCCS launched the Recover, Recruit, and Rebuild Initiative, a multi-faceted plan aimed at strengthening safety and security across the Department’s correctional facilities.

Since then, Governor Hochul and DOCCS have implemented a number of policies to improve the conditions within our facilities. These policies are intended to address the persistent challenges of our staffing shortage and to reinforce the measures we are taking to ensure that DOCCS correctional facilities remain safe for staff, the incarcerated population, visitors, and volunteers. 

To combat the staffing shortage, we are aggressively recruiting for Correction Officers. DOCCS and New York State have taken a number of steps to increase recruitment numbers.

• After extensive analysis and site visits, the Department of Civil Service authorized, and the Division of Budget approved, a one-grade pay increase and a statewide Geographic Pay Differential of $5,000 for all Correction Officers and Sergeants. They also approved a $5,000 Geographic Pay Differential for Lieutenants. The approval was effective May 22, 2025 (Administration) and May 29, 2025 (Institution). This approval recognizes the important work performed by our staff and the critical need to retain our current staff and recruit the next generation of correctional professionals.
• The Department has contracted with Office of General Services (OGS) Media Services on a large-scale recruitment campaign featuring a multi-channel approach, including social media, multicultural digital, streaming audio, video and static ads to better familiarize the public on DOCCS’ mission. The campaign went live in February 2025 targeting upstate NY community college campuses and military bases.
• DOCCS has increased the current advertising expenditure and has entered into a new multi-year contract with a vendor with correction-based recruitment experience.
• We now have a Statewide Recruitment Unit, and social media accounts (NYSDOCCS-Recruitment), who have been running a recruitment center  in the Destiny USA mall in Syracuse.
• The Department launched an advanced placement initiative to attract applicants with Correction Officer experience at a pay rate commensurate to their experience.
• The Fiscal Year 2026 Enacted Budget includes allowing 18-year-olds to apply for the position of Correction Officer with the following stipulations for those under the age of 21:  
  • They will be restricted from certain roles that generally require more experience, such as roles that require a firearm or those involving unsupervised contact with incarcerated individuals.
  • There are restrictions on carrying firearms, conducting incarcerated individual transfers, or having close contact with incarcerated individuals for their first year and a half.
  • There are new reporting, enhanced training, and mentoring requirements for these younger officers.
• The Fiscal Year 2026 Enacted Budget also allows for out-of-state residents to apply to become a Correction Officer in New York State.
• We have also launched regional recruitment in the following counties: Greene, Seneca, Cayuga, Oneida, Franklin, Dutchess, Chemung, Ulster, and Clinton.
• On July 10, 2025, Commissioner Martuscello issued a memo announcing a new Labor Management Agreement (LMA) with NYSCOPBA, three MOAs with NYSCOPBA and Council 82, and one MOA with CSEA and PEF. These agreements included the following recruitment and retention initiatives that were supported in the budget:
  • Correction Officer Reassignment Program (LMA – NYSCOPBA) – To build on the success of the Department’s Regional Hiring Recruitment Initiative, which has been expanded to nine counties providing direct placement to 20 facilities, the Department engaged NYSCOPBA on moving the Department to a statewide regional recruitment and hiring model. As part of this effort, six regions have been established for the regional hiring initiative. Prior to CO Recruit’s assignment within their selected region, Central Office will consult reassignment lists to ensure and protect existing reassignment rights and to increase opportunities for current COs to reassign to their preferred work locations.
  • Correction Officer Sign-On Bonus (MOA – NYSCOPBA) – Newly appointed CO Trainees will receive a $3,000 one-time lump sum bonus that shall be paid in two installments. The first $1,500 shall be paid upon successful completion of their on-the-job training and the second $1,500 upon the successful completion of the 52-week probationary period.
  • Retention Bonus (MOA – NYSCOPBA/Council 82, MC) – COs, Sergeants, Lieutenants, and Captains who successfully complete 25-29 years of creditable service will receive a one-time lump sum bonus of $1,000. COs, Sergeants, Lieutenants, and Captains who successfully complete 30 years or more of creditable service will receive a one-time lump sum bonus of $5,000.
  • Pay Differential for College Degree (MOA – NYSCOPBA, C82, MC) – Eligible COs, Sergeants, Lieutenants, and Captains will receive a one-time lump sum pay differential of $250 for an Associate Degree, $500 for a Bachelor’s Degree, and $750 for a Master’s Degree or higher.
  • Civilian Correction Institutional Differential (MOA – CSEA, PEF, MC) – DOCCS civilian staff serving in titles allocated to salary grade 5 up to and including salary grade 23, whose official workstation is a correctional facility, shall be paid a salary differential at the rate of $1.00 per hour for the first 40 hours worked of their regular scheduled work week.

Since launching a more focused and aggressive recruitment campaign, lowering the minimum age for the Correction Officer title to 18, and removing the New York State residency requirement, we have seen the following increases from our efforts:

• 147% increase in individuals taking the Correction Officer exam from the end of October last year
• 16,372 individuals have completed the Training and Experience examination for the title of Correction Officer this year
• 35 Under 21 Correction Officer Academy Trainees through October 2025
• 987 Out-of-State Correction Officer applicants through October 2025
• 54% increase in Training Academy Correction Officer Appointments compared to October of 2024
• 36% increase in Training Academy Correction Officer Graduates compared to October 2024

As DOCCS continues to aggressively recruit the next generation of correctional leaders and rebuild our security staffing numbers, facilities will be able to resume more of its regular operations.  

Salary (Effective May 29, 2025)
Correction Officer Trainee (NS - Equated to Grade 14) and Correction Officer (Grade 15)

• $66,365 starting salary (during Academy training and first year)
• $69,762 after one year to $84,024 after 7 years*
• Appointees may be eligible for ADVANCED PLACEMENT UPON APPOINTMENT to full performance level Grade 15 with starting salary up to $84,024

*The salary range includes a $5,000 annual geographic pay for all locations throughout New York State.

Additional monetary compensations provided:

• Inconvenience Pay  
• Location Pay  
• Pre-Shift Briefing  
• Expanded Duty Pay  
• Hazardous Duty Pay

 
Benefits

• 104 hours of vacation annually, up to a maximum of 156 hours, depending on length of service.
• 104 hours annually paid holiday time.
• 40 paid personal leave hours annually.
• Paid sick leave accumulating at the rate of 104 hours per year.
• Excellent health, dental, and optical insurance coverage.
• All uniforms and equipment are provided.
• Excellent retirement benefits.

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Join DOCCS

Recognizing the importance of reducing violence and increasing accountability and transparency, in the Fiscal Year 2026 Enacted Budget the Governor invested over $18 million for the expansion of the body-worn camera program. The Department now has body-worn cameras in all 42 DOCCS facilities.

The Fiscal Year 2026 Enacted Budget also included $400 million for the acceleration and continued installation of fixed cameras in all facilities, which have proven to reduce violence, making facilities safer for staff and the incarcerated population while holding people accountable for any wrongdoing.

The Department is aggressively working with the Office of General Services to accelerate the installation of the fixed cameras. DOCCS currently has 11 facilities with completed fixed camera projects. There are 34 additional facilities in the design, construction or upgrade phases.

• Every facility has installed body image scanners for staff, volunteers, visitors, and the incarcerated population. All groups may decline. Visitor declinations result in a non-contact visit.
• All printed materials and tobacco products are held in the package room for up to six days for an Office of Special Investigations (OSI) K9 to screen the materials for illicit substances.
• All regular mail sent to the incarcerated population is copied and then delivered to the individuals.
• All correctional facilities have legal mail screeners. Legal mail that fails the screening process is not delivered.
• DOCCS implemented the vendor package program upon recommendation of the Prison Violence Task Force, which members of NYSCOPBA sit on.
• All packages must be purchased from and delivered by a vendor not on the Disapproved Vendor List. No packages may be brought during visits.
• The program has been very successful in reducing the amount of contraband found in incoming packages from 920 package room recoveries in 2020 to 34 recoveries in 2024, a 96 percent reduction.
• The DOCCS Office of Special Investigations (OSI) K9 unit has also been expanded and is used successfully to prevent contraband entering the state’s prisons.

The Governor committed $7 million to reorganize and expand the capabilities of the DOCCS Office of Special Investigations (OSI) with a focus on both data analytics and expanding the unit's capability to proactively identify potential risks.

• The changes to OSI include the creation of a new division called the “Public Integrity Division” (PID) focused on allegations of staff misconduct, especially use of force and sexual assault of an incarcerated individual.
• PID has two dedicated units, the Special Victims Unit (SVU) and Major Case Unit (MCU), to handle sexual assault cases and serious physical abuse cases, respectively.
• OSI continues to ensure meaningful implementation and compliance with the federal Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) through the Public Integrity Division’s collaboration with the Sexual Abuse Prevention and Education Office (SAPEO).
• The Department has hired additional investigative staff and implemented a new medical review team while leveraging technology to improve outcomes for our stakeholders. These efforts are ongoing.
• These and other proposed changes are evidence of the Governor’s commitment to improving OSI’s ability to meet its mission and mitigate safety and security risks for staff and the incarcerated.

DOCCS retained WilmerHale law firm to conduct an independent review of patterns and practices at Marcy, Mid-State, and other DOCCS prisons, following the Robert Brooks and Messiah Nantwi tragedies. WilmerHale served as counsel to the Working Group on Police Reform, Racial Justice of the US Conference of Mayors, and prosecuting cases involving use of force in prisons.

DOCCS has also entered into an agreement with Amend, a public health and human rights program, that will be assessing the safety and cultural issues within our facilities.

The Department is also collaborating with Chicago Beyond on holistic safety and the enhancement of the facilities’ safety and operations for staff and the incarcerated population.

In March 2025, DOCCS formed a committee as part of a Memorandum of Agreement with the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA) to review and develop recommendations to amend the Humane Alternatives to Long-Term Solitary Confinement (HALT) Act in order to improve safety for facility staff and the incarcerated population. The HALT Committee is comprised of representatives of the state – DOCCS, Office of Employee Relations (OER), and Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) - and unions working in DOCCS correctional facilities – Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA), Council 82, NYSCOPBA, and Public Employees Federation (PEF).

The committee met several times and unanimously agreed to present ten recommendations to amend the current law. Subsequently, the Committee met with several independent stakeholders to incorporate external viewpoints into its deliberations. The stakeholders included the Correctional Association of New York, Prisoners’ Legal Services of New York, HALT Solitary Campaign, Legal Action Center, New York Civil Liberties Union, and the Center for Community Alternatives.

Prior to the end of the 2025 legislative session, committee representatives met with members of the Assembly Committee on Correction and Senate Crime Victims, Crime and Correction Committee to present and discuss the proposed recommendations. The Committee unanimously agrees that if critical reforms are paired with well-crafted, tailored, and reasonable incentives (including the potential for early release for programmatic accomplishments), it would further increase pro-social, non-violent behavior amongst the population and increase the safety of correctional facilities for all.