“He knows DOCCS from top to bottom,” Scaife said. Jennifer Scaife, executive director of the Correctional Association of New York, described him as “accessible, forthright, extremely competent, and an effective communicator.” He “has been very forthcoming and receptive to our concerns,” said Karen Murtagh, executive director of Prisoners’ Legal Services of New York. Some watchdogs who have worked closely with Martuscello expressed optimism about his tenure, however temporary. Appointing “the second person in line, who’s been present for all of that stagnation … would be a disservice to the department,” she told New York Focus. Julia Salazar, the chair of a key Senate committee that would consider a nomination, urged Hochul to look for outside leadership. ![]() Governor Kathy Hochul’s office wouldn’t say when she planned to nominate a permanent successor, nor whether Martuscello is on the shortlist. The title he assumed, “acting commissioner,” is legally temporary - but Annucci was able to keep it for a full decade. Nor is it clear how long Martuscello will lead DOCCS. It’s unclear what impact the agency’s attempted reforms have had: Media and state investigations suggest that DOCCS remains lax on corrections officer misconduct. ![]() ( DOCCS said the allegations were “unfounded.”) When the agency overhauled the department, Martuscello became a public face of the agency’s attempts to fix itself. ![]() A state investigation unearthed allegations that Martuscello’s brother, a former investigator and now assistant commissioner, tampered with his personnel records. Martuscello’s family has had particular influence among DOCCS’s embattled internal investigations department, which saw a series of scandals in the 2010s. His family is established and ascendant, climbing DOCCS’s ranks while New York authorities take the agency to task. Yet Martuscello, eldest son of an Empire State prison dynasty, is even more rooted in the system.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |