BUT MOVING ON NOW TO ACCOUNTABILITY IN STATE GOVERNMENT.

IT'S BEEN TWO YEARS SINCE LUCY LANG WAS APPOINTED AS NEW YORK'S INSPECTOR GENERAL.

IT'S A POSITION THAT OVERSEES CLAIMS OF MISCONDUCT AT STATE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, LIKE IN STATE PRISONS, WHERE, ACCORDING TO THE IG'S OFFICE, WORKERS COMPENSATION FRAUD IS COMMON, AND THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF A HUGE SCOPE OF WORK.

WE SAT DOWN THIS WEEK WITH THE IG FOR AN UPDATE.

[ THEME MUSIC ] INSPECTOR GENERAL LUCY LANG, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

I APPRECIATE IT THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, DAN.

IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

IT'S ABOUT A YEAR INTO YOUR OPEN DATA PLAN, WHICH I WANT TO START WITH.

IT'S REALLY INTERESTING.

YOU'RE ADDING A LOT OF TRANSPARENCY TO WHAT YOU DO IN YOUR OFFICE.

CAN YOU KIND OF DESCRIBE FOR OUR VIEWERS HOW IT LOOKED LIKE BEFORE AND WHAT YOU'VE CHANGED TO MAKE IT MORE TRANSPARENT NOW?

FOR THE FIRST TIME, WE CREATED AN OPEN DATA PORTAL, AND EVERY MONTH, WE UPLOAD ALL OF THE INFORMATION ABOUT COMPLAINTS WE RECEIVE, WHERE THEY COME FROM, WHAT AGENCIES THEY RELATE TO, AND HOW THEY'RE BEING HANDLED WITHIN THE OFFICE, AND WE'RE DOING THIS FOR TWO REASONS.

ONE IS SO THAT JOURNALISTS, RESEARCHERS AND MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC CAN DIG IN AND TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS WE'RE DOING, AND THE OTHER IS TO REALLY LEAD BY EXAMPLE TO THE AGENCIES UNDER OUR JURISDICTION AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO BECOME MORE TRANSPARENT WITH THE PUBLIC.

IT'S BEEN REALLY EXCITING TO SEE HOW IT HAS DONE EXACTLY WHAT IT IS INTENDED TO DO OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST YEAR.

WE HAVE RECEIVED SOMETHING LIKE 3,700 VIEWS OF OUR OPEN DATA PORTAL.

WE HAVE HAD HUNDREDS OF OUR DATA SETS DOWNLOADED SO WHAT THAT TELLS US IS THAT PEOPLE REALLY ARE, IN FACT, USING THE DATA TO LOOK INTO OUR WORK.

WE ALSO HAVE SEEN THAT OUR FOIL REQUESTS ARE UP 22% OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST YEAR.

SO IN ADDITION TO LOOKING AT THE DATA, REPORTERS AND OTHERS ARE USING IT TO FOLLOW UP TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR CASEWORK, WHICH IS PRECISELY WHAT WE HAD HOPED.

YOU HAVE A LOT YOU THAT LOOK AT, A LOT OF AGENCIES, A LOT OF GOVERNMENT BODIES.

I THINK I ASKED YOU THIS THE LAST TIME YOU WERE ON THE SHOW.

I WANT TO ASK YOU AGAIN BECAUSE I DON'T REMEMBER AND IT MAY HAVE CHANGED.

DO YOU SEE YOURSELF LOOKING INTO SOME AREAS OF GOVERNMENT MORE THAN OTHERS?

I KNOW YOU FOCUS SOME OF OUR WORK ON DOCS, BUT I THINK THAT MAY BE MORE RESPONSIVE ABOUT COMPLAINTS ABOUT DOCS.

YOU TELL ME.

ARE THERE AREAS OF FOCUS THAT YOU SEE THAT YOU LOOK AT MORE THAN OTHERS?

WHAT I FIND MOST THRILLING ABOUT THE JOB IS THAT IN ADDITION TO DOING THE DATE-TO-DAY WORK OF PROCESSING COMPLAINTS AND, FOR EXAMPLE, THE WORKERS COMPENSATION SYSTEM, OR THE WELFARE SYSTEM, THAT WE ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY TO ZOOM OUT AND TO THINK ABOUT BIG PICTURE ISSUES AND FOR ME, WHAT I FEEL MOST COMPELLED TO DIRECT OUR RESOURCES TOWARDS ARE THE AGENCIES THAT ARE DESIGNED TO PROTECT THE MOST VULNERABLE NEW YORKERS.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, WE'VE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES.

WE HAVE BEEN VISITING ALL OF THE SECURE JUVENILE DETENTION FACILITIES AND REALLY PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION TO HOW THOSE FACILITIES ARE SERVING OR NOT SERVING THE POPULATIONS WHO ARE HOUSED THERE.

TELL ME WHAT YOU HEAR FROM THEM.

I'M CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT THOSE KIDS SAY.

THIS IS SUCH AN AREA FOR THOSE KIDS THAT ARE IN THESE PLACES, IT'S FOR A REASON, BUT THEY PROBABLY EXPERIENCE A LOT OF TRAUMA INSIDE.

THEIR WHOLE LIVES ARE CHANGED.

WHAT DO YOU HEAR FROM THEM?

OF COURSE WE KNOW THAT KIDS WITH TRAUMA ARE MORE LIKELY TO END UP IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM YEAH.

OUR HOPE IS THAT THE STAFF IN THOSE FACILITIES ARE-- ARE GIVEN TRAUMA-INFORMED RESOURCES ENABLE THEM TO BETTER SUPPORT THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE.

AN AREA OF PARTICULAR INTEREST TO ME IS AROUND THE KIND OF LITERACY EDUCATION THAT'S PROVIDED TO INCARCERATED POPULATIONS AND MAKING SURE THAT YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE AT RISK OF NOT LEARNING HOW TO READ ARE BEING GIVEN EVIDENCE-BASED LITERACY EDUCATION TO ENABLE THEM TO BE FULL PARTICIPANTS IN NEW YORK SOCIETY WHEN THEY RETURN HOME.

SPEAKING OF THE JUSTICE SYSTEM, IT'S BEEN ABOUT A YEAR SINCE YOUR OFFICE ISSUED THIS REALLY BREATH-TAKING REPORT ABOUT DOCS, WHICH IS THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY SUPERVISION.

YOUR REPORT BASICALLY LAID OUT THAT PEOPLE OF COLOR IN STATE PRISONS FACED HARSHER DISCIPLINARY MEASURES THAN THEIR WHITE COUNTERPARTS.

I'M WONDERING IF YOU'VE HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT THAT IN THE PAST YEAR.

THE REPORT, THE INTENTION OF IT, WAS PROBABLY TO CREATE CHANGE.

DO WE SEE THAT?

WE'VE BEEN VERY VIGILANTLY WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE FOLLOWING OUR RECOMMENDATIONS AND TO DATE, IT SEEMS THAT THEY ARE IMPLEMENTING THE PROTOCOLS THAT WE RECOMMENDED IN OUR REPORT, BUT IT'S TOO SOON TO TELL WHETHER IT HAS HAD AN IMPACT ON DECREASING THOSE UNCONSCIONABLE RACIAL DISPARITIES.

AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IN DOCS RIGHT NOW?

I MEAN, THAT'S A BIG ISSUE.

I THINK THAT REPORT WAS HUGE.

I WAS SKIMMING THROUGH IT TODAY.

ANY OTHER ISSUE AREAS IN THAT SYSTEM THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT?

WELL, AN AREA THAT ACTUALLY THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES AND THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS HAVE IN COMMON IS RELATED TO A REPORT WE PUT OUT THIS SUMMER ABOUT WORKERS COMPENSATION FRAUD ABUSE CASES IN THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS.

YES.

THERE IS A PROVISION IN THE PREVAILING CONTRACT FOR CORRECTIONS OFFICERS THAT LACKS THE SAFEGUARDS THAT OTHER COMPARABLE PROFESSIONS HAVE TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM COMMITTING WORKERS COMPENSATION FRAUD.

IT ACTUALLY FIRST CAME TO MY ATTENTION VISITING A SECURE JUVENILE FACILITY WHICH IS UNDER THE PURVIEW OF THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES, WHERE A YOUNG PERSON IN A CLASSROOM SAID TO ME, MISS, CAN YOU GET US MORE STAFF?

I SAID, WHY DO YOU ASK?

HE SAID WE'RE NOT ABLE TO HAVE OUTDOOR REC BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH STAFF.

WOW.

WHEN I SPOKE TO THE ADMINISTRATORS THERE, THEY SAID WE HAVE A HUGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE OUT ON WORKERS COMPENSATION, SO WE CAN'T HAVE KIDS BOTH IN THE CLASSROOM AND GETTING THEIR OUTDOOR RECREATION TIME SIMPLY BECAUSE OF LACK OF STAFFING.

SO IT WAS THAT CONVERSATION AND THEN MANY CONVERSATIONS AT PRISONS ACROSS THE STATE WITH ADMINISTRATORS, CORRECTIONS OFFICERS AND INCARCERATED NEW YORKERS THAT LED US TO DO A FULL ASSESSMENT OF WORKERS COMPENSATION ABUSES IN THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND TO DETERMINE THAT AT SOME FACILITIES THEY'RE UP TO 40% OF THE STAFF OUT ON WORKERS COMPENSATION LEAVE.

THAT MEANS THAT THERE ARE STAFF WHO ARE FORCED TO WORK DOUBLE AND TRIPLE SHIFTS, WHO ARE MISSING IMPORTANT FAMILY HOLIDAYS AND ALSO TO IDENTIFY SOME INCREDIBLY ALARMING TRENDS, INCLUDING THAT WORKERS COMPENSATION ABSENCES TEND TO SPIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, RIGHT AFTER MEMORIAL DAY, RIGHT AT THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS AND IN SOME REGION OF THE STATE THE BEGINNING OF HUNTING SEASON.

I WANT TO SWITCH GEARS HERE AND TALK ABOUT GAMING, WHICH IS ACTUALLY AN AREA THAT I DIDN'T KNOW YOUR OFFICE WAS SO INVOLVED IN.

GAMING, I MEAN LIKE THE GAMING COMMISSION, HORSE TRACKS, GAMBLING, THINGS LIKE THAT YOU RECEIVE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT GAMING.

WHAT DO YOU-- WHAT ARE THEY, I GUESS, IS THE QUESTION?

I WAS READING ABOUT THIS TODAY AND I KIND OF UNDERSTAND IT.

WHAT KINDS OF COMPLAINTS DO YOU RECEIVE ABOUT GAMING THAT YOUR OFFICE CAN ACT ON?

SURE.

WE WERE ONLY GIVEN JURISDICTION OVER THE GAMING INDUSTRY IN THE SUMMER OF 2021 AND HAD BEEN REALLY WORKING TO COLLABORATE WITH THE INDUSTRY TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT THERE THAT WE ARE HERE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO FOLKS WHO WORK IN THAT INDUSTRY.

JUST TODAY, WE PUBLISHED-- AND THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH OUR TRANSPARENCY PLAN.

WE PUT OUT ABOUT 13 LETTERS THAT WERE SENT OUT TO OUR JURISDICTIONAL AGENCIES.

ONE OF WHICH IS RELATED TO GAMING IN WHICH A STAFF MEMBER WAS DOING UNAPPROVED OUTSIDE WORK.

THAT'S THE KIND OF-- ONE OF MANY KINDS OF COMPLAINTS THAT WE GET IN.

OF COURSE, WE GET ALL KINDS OF COMPLAINTS LIKE I DIDN'T WIN THE LOTTO THAT AREN'T REALLY UNDER OUR JURISDICTION.

[LAUGHTER] WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE EMPLOYEES OF THE GAMING INDUSTRY ARE FOLLOWING THE STANDARDS OF INTEGRITY THAT NEW YORKERS DESERVE.

YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR, YOU SAW-- YOUR OFFICE SAW A 150% INCREASE IN COMPLAINTS RELATED TO GAMING COMPARED TO 2021.

DO YOU SEE THAT TREND CONTINUING THIS YEAR?

DO YOU HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF COMPLAINTS THIS YEAR AS DID YOU LAST YEAR?

DO YOU SEE IT CONTINUING TO GO UP AS PEOPLE LEARN THAT YOU HAVE THIS JURISDICTION?

WE'VE WORKED REALLY HARD TO GET OUT INTO THE GAMING COMMUNITY AND HAVE, IN FACT, AS OF THIS MONTH TRAINED EVERY MEMBER OF THE GAMING COMMUNITY ACROSS THE STATE.

SO I EXPECT THAT THOSE NUMBERS WILL CONTINUE TO TREND UPWARD.

NOT BECAUSE THERE IS NECESSARILY MORE MALFEASANCE, BUT I HOPE BECAUSE WE ARE MAKING OURSELVES MORE AVAILABLE AND KNOWN AS A RESOURCE.

I HAVE TO ASK YOU ABOUT FUNDING BECAUSE IT'S ABOUT TWO MONTHS AWAY FROM THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

THAT STARTS OFF THE STATE BUDGET CYCLE, AND EVERYONE ASKS FOR MORE MONEY ALL THE TIME.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ARE.

DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCES RIGHT NOW TO DO WHAT YOU'RE DOING, OR WOULD YOU LIKE MORE IN WE'RE ABLE TO DO A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT WITH WHAT WE HAVE.

IT IS ALSO AN EXCITING TIME BECAUSE WE'RE EXPANDING OUR TECHNOLOGICAL CAPABILITIES, AS REALLY ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INVESTIGATIVE BODIES HAVE TO DO.

WE HAVE FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER APPOINTED A CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER WHO IS LEADING US INTO THE NEW ERA OF AI AND ELECTRONIC INVESTIGATIONS.

WE'RE WORKING TO BECOME MORE EFFICIENT AND OF COURSE, THAT REQUIRES RESOURCES.

SO I EXPECT THAT IN THE COMING YEARS, WE'LL CONTINUE TO FOCUS RESOURCES ON OUR TECHNOLOGICAL EXPANSION, WHICH IS ARGUABLY THE-- AMONGST THE BEST WAYS THAT WE CAN HAVE IMPACT IN THE MANY DIFFERENT AGENCIES OVER WHICH WE HAVE JURISDICTION.

THAT'S REALLY EXCITING.

YOU MENTIONED AI.

WOULD IT BE LIKE YOU'RE LOOKING INTO MATTERS INVOLVED IN AI, OR DO YOU WANT TO SOMEHOW USE AI TO MAKE YOUR OFFICE MORE EFFICIENT?

IT REALLY REMAINS TO BE SEEN HOW IT'S USED AND WE WILL ONLY USE IT IN VERY CONSCIENTIOUS AND RESPONSIBLE WAYS, BUT WE THINK ABOUT THINGS LIKE THE MASSIVE DOCUMENTARY MATERIALS WE REVIEW IN VIRTUALLY EVERY INVESTIGATION, AND WHETHER THERE ARE WAYS TO DEPLOY TECHNOLOGY TO HELP US DO THAT MORE EFFICIENTLY.

THAT'S REALLY INTERESTING.

WE'LL WAIT TO SEE HOW YOU IMPLEMENT IT.

INSPECTOR GENERAL LUCY LANG, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, DAN.

[ THEME MUSIC ] AND IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU THINK THAT IG'S OFFICE SHOULD LOOK INTO, YOU CAN CALL THEM OR EMAIL.

THEIR HOTLINE IS 1-800-DO-RIGHT, 1-800-367-4448, AND THEIR EMAIL IS COMPLAINTS@IG.NY.GOV.