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The mayoral announcement declared that the proposed merger would:
![[Martin F. Horn]](../images/mfh.gif) Correction and Probation Commissioner |
"Martin Horn has done a spectacular job as Probation Commissioner, actually improving the agency's performance while still reducing the agency's budget," Mayor Bloomberg said. "He has the law enforcement and government experience required to build upon the Department of Correction's successes and the management skills to oversee a successful merger with the Department of Probation, assuming we are successful in getting the appropriate legislation passed."
Horn has served as Commissioner of the Department of Probation since January 1, 2002, the announcement said, noting that he has emphasized Probation's role as an arm of the court and seeks to strengthen the relationship between the city's judges and the agency. Under his leadership, the Department of Probation cleared twice as many warrants as in 2001, rising to 9,528 from 4,574, while the agency cut its headcount by 20%.
The Department of Probation provides supervision for the thousands of adults and juveniles placed on probation each year by judges in the Supreme, Criminal and Family Courts. In addition, Probation Officers are responsible for preparing thousands of background reports each year that assist judges in determining appropriate sentences for adult offenders and juvenile delinquents. The agency seeks to give each probationer the tools he or she will need to lead a law-abiding life. It provides counseling and helps connect offenders to a broad array of community-based services, including job training and drug treatment. The agency informs judges when an offender fails to abide by the conditions of probation and to identify those probationers who are unable or unwilling to make the transition to a law-abiding life.
![[Mayor Bloomberg & Commissioner Horn]](../images/mayor&horn.jpg) |
The Department of Correction averages a daily inmate population of between 14,000 and 19,000. Annually, between 110,000 and 120,000 inmates are admitted to custody. The Department employs just over 10,000 uniformed staff and 1,500 civilian staff. The Department provides custody of males and females, 16 and older, who - after arraignment on criminal charges - have been unable to post bail or were remanded without bail, pending adjudication of their criminal charges. These detainees constitute about two-thirds of the total inmate population. The Department also incarcerates those sentenced in the city to terms of up to one year, parole violators awaiting parole revocation hearings, and persons charged with civil crimes. The majority of inmates are housed in one of the 10 facilities on Rikers Island, located in the East River adjacent to LaGuardia Airport.
Through December 5th, 2002 the number of use of force incidents stands at 1,042, a 19.3% reduction as compared to the same period in 2001. Inmate assaults of staff members have decreased by 22% through December 5, 2002, when compared to the same period in 2001. The number of inmate-on-inmate stabbing/slashing incidents remains low. Inmate suicides have also dropped. Notably, there have been no inmate homicides in 2002.
"I would also like to thank outgoing Correction Commissioner William Fraser for his dedicated service to this City and for his instrumental role in much of the agency's successes," Mayor Bloomberg concluded in his Dec. 26 statement. The Horn appointment announcement came one month after the mayor's reluctant acceptance of Fraser's resignation as Correction Commissioner.
![[B.B.Kerik & W.J Fraser]](../../../../images/bbk&wjf4.jpg) |
In that Nov. 27, 2002 announcement the Mayor said:"I have accepted his resignation grudgingly, knowing that he has served the City proudly, with honor and distinction,"
"Bill Fraser has served the Department proudly for almost 25 years, rising through the ranks since 1978, when he was a rookie Correction Officer. He is one of the reasons the Department has had such great success over recent years, primarily in reducing inmate violence by over 90%. . . .It has been a tough job and Bill Fraser has been there to do it. . . ."
Horn served as Pennsylvania’s Secretary of Corrections from March 1995 until January 2000, . Earlier he had served as executive director and chief operating officer for the New York State Division of Parole, and was New York State assistant commissioner of corrections and Superintendent of Hudson Correctional Facility.
Horn began his career as a New York State Parole Officer in 1969 the same year he earned a bachelor's degree in government from Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. In 1974 he received a master's degree in criminal justice from John Jay College, CUNY. He was an assistant professor of criminal justice at State University College in Utica from 1975 to 1977. Prior to his return to his home state of New York, Horn served as Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge’s Secretary of Administration.
 Robert | 
Francis J. |  Thomas |
A previous instance of a Probation Commissioner serving also as Correction Commissioner occurred during the first term of Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. However, in that instance the status was one of "acting commissioner" of Correction whereas in the current instance, there is no "acting" attached to the title.
Michael P. Jacobson, then Probation Commissioner, was named also Acting Correction Commissioner on Jan. 24, 1995. On March 30, 1996, Jacobson was appointed Correction Commissioner, leaving the Probation Commissionership to which he had been appointed June 1, 1992. Commissioner Jacobson retired from government administration Dec. 31, 1997, and took on academic posts at CUNY Grad Center and John Jay College of Criminal Justice.
William J. Fraser was named New York City Correction Commissioner on Nov. 9, 2000, about two months and two weeks after his predecessor Bernard B. Kerik had been named NYPD Commissioner. Fraser had served as Chief of Department under Kerik.
The Fraser appointment came a month after the swear-in of NYPD Commissioner Kerik. For only the second time in NYC DOC's 105-year history has its highest ranking uniformed officer been named Correction Commissioner succeeding one appointed Police Commissioner.
On Jan. 1, 1984, then Chief of Department Jacqueline McMickens became Commissioner, succeeding Benjamin Ward named to head NYPD.
John-- 12/31/08 | John-- 1/18/10 | Patrick-- 12/31/13 |
 Katharine |
 Burdette |
Fraser is the first member of DOC to rise through each one of the existing uniformed ranks to head the agency.
McMickens, now a practicing attorney in Brooklyn, was the first member of DOC to rise through the ranks to become Chief of Dept. and later Commissioner without "Acting" in front of the latter title. In her rise, she skipped over one rung in the ladder of uniformed advancement: warden.
During the interim between the Kerik appointment as NYPD Commissioner and the Fraser appointment as DOC Commissioner, First Deputy Commissioner Gary M. Lanigan served as DOC Acting Commissioner. He again served as Acting Commissioner in the latter half of December, 2002.
Kerik had taken on the duties of New York City Correction Commissioner January 1, 1998, succeeding Michael P. Jacobson with whom he had served as First Deputy Commissioner.
The approximately three dozen Correction Commissioners whose names appear on this page reflect the diverse and rich history of the City and this Department. They include:
 James |
 Frederick |
 Richard-- 9/30/32 |
 Robert-- 5/25/33 |
William-- 10/6/33 |
Wilbur-- 12/31/33 |
 Austin |  Col.David |
Robert J. Wright was the first to head the agency when it emerged after the dual Dept. of Public Charity and Correction was split (1895/6). He was a member of fusion reform Mayor Walter Strong's cabinet that also included Teddy Roosevelt as Police Commissioner.
Lantry was the first to served as DOC Commissioner when New York became a five-borough City (1898). Lantry also has the distinction of being the only Commissioner to serve twice as head of DOC. He even served once as Fire Commissioner.
Others who saw service directing other NYC agencies include Benjamin Ward, who also served as NYPD head; Katharine Bement Davis, who led the City Parole Commission, and Catherine Abate and Michael P. Jacobson, each of whom had headed Probation before coming to Correction. Both Commissioners Frederick A. Wallis and Albert Williams served as NYPD Deputy Commissioners before heading DOC.
 Doctor |
 Albert |
 Anna |
 George |
 Benjamin |
Some listed here served as Acting Commissioners --
Among the six interim Acting Commissioners, Seitchik served about two and a half weeks, Vierno and Hunter each served a little more than a month, D'Elia about two months, Mitchell about two and a half months, and Lanigan about three months total.
The most commissioners to serve in any one year has been three. In 1933, Robert L. Tudor, William J. Cahill and Wilbur T. Wright headed DOC. In 1990, James Hunter, George R. Vierno and Allyn Seilaff served.
By contrast, the commissioner serving the most years was Anna M. Kross. She headed the agency about a dozen years -- from the start of 1954 through early 1966.
The list includes several commissioners who appear elsewhere among these DOC web pages. Their entries are linked to those references. Click the underlined name to access the reference. Use your browser's back-to-previous page button to return to this list. Updates will add more portraits and biographical material.
 Joseph |
 William |
 Benjamin |
 Peter |
 Jacqueline |
 Richard |
 James |
 Bernard |
 Gary M. |
 William |
![[Martin F. Horn]](../images/hornhead.jpg) Martin |
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-- Thomas McCarthy, NYCHS webmaster |
