Lynelle Maginley-Liddie appointed as new commissioner of NYC Department of Correction

December 11, 2023 Robert Abruzzese

Mayor Eric Adams announced on Friday that Lynelle Maginley-Liddie, with her eight years of experience at the NYC Department of Correction, is taking over as the new commissioner. Photo: AP, Hans Pennink

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Mayor Eric Adams announced on Friday the appointment of Lynelle Maginley-Liddie, an eight-year veteran of the NYC Department of Correction (DOC), as the new commissioner.

Maginley-Liddie, who has served as the first deputy commissioner, takes over from Louis Molina, now assistant deputy mayor for public safety. This change comes as the department faces severe challenges, including the potential federal takeover of Rikers Island.

In his statement, Mayor Adams lauded Maginley-Liddie’s role in the administration’s efforts to address the longstanding issues at Rikers Island. “Lynelle has played a significant role in the progress we have made over the last 23 months at DOC,” Adams said, pointing to the efforts to reverse decades of mismanagement and neglect.

The Legal Aid Society released a statement in response to the appointment, expressing hope that Commissioner Maginley-Liddie will take immediate steps to address the health and safety risks in the city’s jail system. However, they emphasized the need for an independent body to secure systemic changes, given the deteriorated state of the Department of Correction.

“The Legal Aid Society hopes that Commissioner Maginley Liddie will take immediate and meaningful steps to address the myriad of health and safety risks that incarcerated New Yorkers suffer each and every day. Given her years of service with the department, Commissioner Maginley-Liddie should be well aware of the long-standing issues plaguing the city’s jail system. We look forward to working with her in this new role to ensure that all people in City custody are treated with dignity, care and humanity,” said the statement by Legal Aid.

The latest development in the Rikers Island saga is the involvement of U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, who has moved to strip the city of control over the jail complex. He has asked Federal District Court Judge Laura Taylor Swain to appoint an outside authority for oversight, a process known as federal receivership. This move follows years of reports of violence and unsafe conditions at Rikers Island.

Mayor Adams has resisted the idea of a federal takeover, arguing for internal city leadership to drive change. The Adams administration has also expressed doubt about the feasibility of closing Rikers Island by 2027, as legally required, to be replaced with four borough-based jails.