About New York City Department of Correction
The New York City Department of Correction (DOC) is a branch of the city's municipal government responsible for the custody, control and care of people held in New York City's jails. It provides for people ordered held by courts while awaiting trial, as well as those sentenced to one year or less of jail time. The agency's roots date to 1895, when it broke away from the Department of Public Charities and Correction. According to its own materials, the department aims to maintain a secure and supportive setting and to help people in its care prepare for life back in their communities.
The department runs ten jails on Rikers Island along with borough-based facilities and court detention pens across the city. Its operations also include hospital prison wards, storehouses and commissary units. Its headquarters is listed in East Elmhurst, Queens, and off-island jails are located in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx. Separately, the Board of Correction, a nine-person non-judicial body, regulates and inspects the city's correctional facilities. A 2019 city law requires closure of the Rikers Island jails by 2027.
| Type | Government office |
|---|---|
| New York offices | East Elmhurst, Queens (headquarters), Rikers Island, Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx |
| Phone | 718-546-1500 |
| Website | nyc.gov/site/doc/index.page |
| Registered NY attorneys | 30 |
Organization profile based on its official website and public sources (reviewed October 29, 2026). Attorney list from the New York State Unified Court System registration data. Not affiliated with New York City Department of Correction.
Registered attorneys
Maria Guccione Currently registered Howard Sterinbach Currently registered James Saunders Currently registered Diane Rapisarda Currently registered James Conroy Currently registered Lidelfo Franco Currently registered Michelle Alleyne Currently registered Jason Dunkel Currently registered Tina Grillo Currently registered Sarena Townsend Currently registeredRegistration status can change at any time. Confirm any attorney's current status through the official New York Attorney Search.