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| Q & A, Martin Horn Retires |
| By Caitlin Donovan |
| Published: 08/10/2009 |
A few days ago, Corrections.com had the opportunity to chat with Martin Horn
who recently retired as commissioner for The New York Department of Corrections. We asked about his time working in corrections and what he likes outside of his job, as well as his plans for the future. Check out the Q & A below and don’t forget to comment at the end.
Q: What was the most rewarding aspect about working as commissioner of The New York Department of Corrections? What was the least rewarding? A: Most rewarding is the opportunity to work with a group of dedicated corrections professionals. There is no finer group of people. They do their jobs with heart and they do jobs that most people would never want to do. It’s a tribute to them and that was the best part of the job. The least rewarding was dealing with the press. Some of the press is responsible, but particularly in New York City the tabloid press does not want to be informed by the facts. They prefer to accept rumors and they assassinate characters in the process. Q: Describe your best day while working for The New York Department of Corrections. A: My best day was greeting the almost 200 New York City Department of Corrections employees. Some spent as much as six weeks down in New Orleans for Hurricane Katrina. The day they arrived back, I was so proud of the sacrifice they had made and the contribution they had made to help The Louisiana Department of Corrections. Q: What was unique about this job as opposed to other jobs you held in the corrections community? A: New York City is a unique place, both in terms of its scale and its intensity. Everything happens within a city, rather than state corrections where they are spread out over a state. New York City is a hothouse of scrutiny and transparency. Q: How long have you worked in the field of corrections? What made you want to go into it? A: On July 3, I will have completed 40 years of service [started in 1969]. There are very few occupations in which an administrator can deal with the multiplicity of issues that someone in the corrections field has to be knowledgeable about. It is about politics…science...healthcare...mental healthcare. There is such a rich variety of issues that a corrections administrator must be aware of. Q: If your children showed interest in the field of corrections, what advice would you give them? A: If that is what your heart tells you to do, then you should pursue it. You’re not going to get rich doing it. Q: Where will you go from here? A: I’m going to become a distinguished lecturer at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Q: Do you have any hobbies? What do you like to do in your spare time? A: I’m trying. I pretend to play golf. Q: How did you balance doing your job and caring for the inmate population? A: That’s how you do your job. It’s inseparable. You can’t ever forget you’re doing your job because you have people in custody that are the sons and daughters of your neighbors; you have to protect your neighbors. That’s what you do. Q: If you had to do it all over again what would you do differently? A: I think I would have focused more aggressively on training and management development. I think that is the weakest part of our department and perhaps the weakest part of corrections agencies in general. To neglect building up the capacity of your middle management is to set yourself up for failure. Q: For those who don’t work in corrections, how would you explain the role of corrections professionals in the criminal justice system? Describe a typical day as a commissioner. A: Our job is to ensure the safe custody of individuals who are lawfully committed to us, to keep them safe from themselves and each other. The typical day? There is not a typical day. On any given day it depends on what is thrown at you. You can be confronted with anything from a water main break to a black out …inmates hurting each other…a seriously injured officer…breach of integrity….a work slow down by staff…labor management disagreement…contagious disease outbreak… You have to have systems in place to support your analysis and have a good team around you. It makes the job exciting. Q: If you could have dinner with anyone dead or alive who would it be and why? A: Abraham Lincoln, because I can’t imagine what he had on his plate and how he got through it. When I think about it, it’s awesome. Q: What was the last book you read? A: King Leopold’s Ghost by Adam Hochschild. It’s a book about King Leopold and the way he enslaved the people of the Congo and brutalized them. Q: What was the most interesting trip you’ve ever taken? A: I went to Tanzania last summer and I found Africa fascinating and troubling both at the same time. Corrections.com would like to thank Marty for his time and wishes him well in his retirement. |
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Commissioner Horn was the smartest,the most sociable, the most approachable commissioner I have had the pleasure to work under in my 21 year career with the NYDOC. No matter what rank you were he made you feel like part of the team. I believe that his replacement will continue his mission statement and some. I wish the Commish the best of luck and health.