From April until May, 2018, Jena Faith was incarcerated in the Steuben
County Jail. Ms. Faith was housed in accordance with all NYS Commission
of Corrections standards and regulations, and in accordance with the direction
of the medical unit after examination. Upon the filing of the suit by Ms.
Faith, an investigation occurred by the Sheriff’s Office in which it was
determined that a large gap exists between NYS regulations and standards and
federal regulations and standards concerning the housing of members of the
transgender community. In order to ensure that all citizen rights are
met and that we meet the public safety needs of all of our inmates, the Steuben
County Sheriff’s Office began a process of initiating a groundbreaking policy
which recognizes the needs of transgender, intersex, gender non-binary, and
gender nonconforming people in custody. This policy resulted from the
collaborative work of the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office, the New York State
Sheriff’s Association, New York State Jail Administrators and the NYCLU.
“I am extremely proud of our corrections staff who recognized that conducting business only in strict accordance with the NYS Minimum Standards of County Jails and Lockups is sometimes not enough. When the NYS guidance falls short, it is up to all of us to search for other methods to meet the needs of all citizens” stated Sheriff Allard. “I am grateful to all of the contributors who helped create this policy and grateful that Steuben County was able to lead the way”.
“Steuben County, along with the Sheriff’s Office, have a long history of maintaining high standards for all operations,” said County Manager Jack Wheeler. “This requires continuous review of policies and practices of all departments to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations, resulting in high-quality services our residents and stakeholders expect and deserve.”
