No products
Commission of Correction
Address: 80 South Swan Street, 12th Floor Albany, New York 12210
Phone: (518) 485-2346
About
The three members of the Commission of Correction are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the New York State Senate. The Governor also designates one of the three Commissioners to serve as Chair.
The Commission meets monthly and as needed to discuss matters related to local and state correction facilities and police department lock ups, including variances, maximum facility capacity, proposed changes in regulations, construction projects, and death investigations, among other matters.
The Commission’s meetings are live-streamed and recordings of past meetings are online.
Commissioners
Chairman Allen Riley
Designated as Commission Chairman by former Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, Allen Riley has been a member of the Commission since June 2017. Prior to joining the Commission, he served as Madison County Sheriff for more than seven years. As sheriff, he headed an agency with more than 160 employees among five divisions: Corrections, Criminal, Narcotics, Civil and Pistol Permit. He also oversaw the Madison County Child Advocacy Center, which investigates child physical and sexual abuse cases, and served as a member of former Governor Cuomo’s Commission on Youth, Public Safety and Justice.
Prior to being elected sheriff, Mr. Riley was a 27-year veteran of the New York State Police, serving in Troop D as an investigator, handling homicide and other serious cases, and as a uniform trooper. He was a narcotics detection and explosives detection K-9 handler and field training officer, among other duties. Mr. Riley served on the board of directors of the New York State Sheriffs’ Institute; the New York State Association for Incarcerated Education Programs, and the Madison County Office of the Aging Advisory Council, among other positions. He was twice named the American Legion Law Enforcement Office of the Year in Madison County. He attended Morrisville State College (SUNY), and was the college’s commencement speaker in 2014.
Mr. Riley is married and has two daughters.
Commissioner Thomas Loughren:
Thomas J. Loughren was appointed to the Commission by former Governor Andrew M. Cuomo in June 2013. Prior to serving as a Commissioner, he had a 40-year career in law enforcement, serving as a police officer, criminal investigator and the Chenango County Sheriff from 1992 to 2009. Mr. Loughren was instrumental in promoting coordination and cooperation among law enforcement agencies, fire departments and emergency medical services and was a pioneer in modernization of law enforcement and emergency services communication systems.
As sheriff, he directed all law enforcement activities of patrol, K-9, snowmobile and marine navigation, investigations, SWAT and public relations programs, as well as correction officers, school programs, mental health, medical, inmate work programs, commercial kitchen, and Meals on Wheels for senior programs. His department was awarded New York State Accreditation in all of its four divisions. He was a member of the original New York State Counter Terrorism Committee from 2002 to 2009 and is a past president of the New York State Sheriffs’ Association. He has a bachelor’s degree from McNeese State University in Lake Charles, La.
Commissioner Yolanda Canty:
Yolanda Canty is a corrections executive with 28 years of experience, most recently as a Bureau Chief with the New York City Department of Correction, where she developed, oversaw and managed implementation of the policies and procedures safeguarding approximately 8,000 incarcerated individuals and 7,000 uniform and non-uniform employees. During her tenure as Bureau Chief, she led the implementation of several major correction reform initiatives, including the elimination of punitive segregation for the 16 to 21-year-old incarcerated population; the creation of a specialized secure detention facility operated in conjunction with the Administration for Children’s Services; and, in compliance with the implementation of the New York State Raise the Age legislation (that required all youth between the ages of 16 and 17 be removed from the custody of the New York City Department of Correction), transitioned the custody of all affected youth to the supervision of the Administration for Children's Services. She retired from the New York City Department of Correction in 2018. In 2019, she served as an adjunct assistant professor at John Jay College. She has a bachelor’s degree from The Pennsylvania State University and a master's degree from John Jay College.
Information and photos taken from the site: scoc.ny.gov
Photo taken from the site: www.ny.gov/agencies