Mamdani appoints ex-con as NYC Department of Corrections head

Socialist NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani has appointed ex-convict Stanley Richards as the city’s newest Department of Correction commissioner. Per Gothamist, Richards spent two-and-a-half years on Rikers Island on robbery charges in the 1980s and spent an additional four-and-a-half years in state prison before being released in 1991. This marks the first time an ex-convict has held the role.

Mamdani said in a news conference, "Stanley will make history in this role as the first ever formerly incarcerated person to serve as commissioner. That achievement is not merely symbolic. It is a testament to the thought and leadership he will bring to every member of correction staff and incarcerated New Yorkers underneath his purview."

After his release, Richards began working as a counselor with the Fortune Society, which provides housing and re-entry services for ex-convicts leaving jail. He served as the society’s president until his appointment, as well as a deputy correction commissioner under former Mayor Bill de Blasio and the city’s Board of Correction.

Richards said, "The future of Rikers is not endless confinement, scapegoating or demonizing. It is safety, transformation and rehabilitation."

Benny Boscio, the president of the Correction Officers Benevolent Association union said in a statement, "Despite the many false narratives that have portrayed COBA as an 'obstacle to reform,' we have been ready, willing and able to meet and work with anyone, as long as they respect the rights of our Correction Officers and understand that their safety and security matter. The jails cannot and will not operate as safely as possible if the concerns of our members are brushed aside. It is our hope that Mr. Richards understands that dynamic as he takes on this new role and demonstrates a commitment to putting safety and security before any political ideology."

Richards said in a statement, "I am deeply honored and grateful to Mayor Mamdani for this appointment. This role represents the culmination of my lifelong commitment to criminal justice reform, drawing directly from my own experience of incarceration on Rikers, which fueled my decades of work at The Fortune Society and with the Department of Correction, helping thousands rebuild their lives through reentry programs, leadership roles, and advocacy."

"This appointment is an opportunity to lead from the top, advocating for both incarcerated individuals and correction officers to create safer jails and real pathways to rehabilitation. This is a chance to drive upstream change, connecting people to services like those at Fortune Society that transformed my own life. I will work tirelessly with this administration to ensure that we prioritize humane and safe conditions and ensure justice for all New Yorkers."