NEW YORK (Washington Insider Magazine) – After years of unsuccessful attempts to improve Rikers Island, a federal court in Manhattan will decide Tuesday whether the court should take charge of New York City’s large and problematic jail complex.
Despite the appointment of a federal watchdog by Judge Laura Taylor Swain in 2014, Rikers Island, which is part of the New York City Department of Correction, continues to be plagued by violence, physical deterioration, and staffing issues. The federal monitor, Steve Martin, stated Tuesday that there is still time to make adjustments at Rikers Island, and that the city has 3 weeks to produce a strategy to avoid a federal takeover.
Martin suggested that more drastic actions may be required.
Martin’s deputy, Anna Friedberg, noted a number of examples where legal hurdles, such as union laws, existing agreements, and city ordinances, had hindered city changes.
Friedberg believes the city should remove the red tape quickly and adopt drastic measures, such as recruiting outside experts and allowing them to operate from home.
Friedberg also mentioned four issues at Rikers: personnel, accountability, security, and incarcerated individual management. The city has until May 17 at 3 p.m. to present its proposal, and a hearing is scheduled for May 24.
Prior to the ruling, the office of New York City Mayor Eric Adams pushed on progress and requested additional time from the court.
On Tuesday, a city attorney stated that the city and the auditing team are in broad agreement on modifications. The mayor said earlier Tuesday that 578 extra correction officials will be hired as part of the proposal.
Last year, 15 convicts died in jail, and 3 have died so far this year. According to ABC NEWS, there have been more than 500 stabbings in March alone.
The United States Attorney’s Office confirmed it is considering a federal takeover of New York City prisons to remedy the “ongoing, daily constitutional injury” to inmates.
The United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Damien Williams, voiced concern about the degree of violence. To compel reform, he mentioned the potential of federal receivership.
Swain has summoned Correction Commissioner Louis Molina to the meeting, which will be the first time all parties involved have met since the idea of a federal takeover was discussed.
Amendments are already in the process, according to Molina, who feels Bill de Blasio’s previous administration was chasing a “political argument” to shut Rikers.
In a statement released Tuesday, the Legal Aid Society claimed the city had yet to demonstrate its “capacity to respond to this humanitarian crisis.”