The City Council’s decision to close the prisons on Rikers Island and transfer inmates to four smaller detention centers in the outer boroughs by 2027 has sparked both support and opposition, with advocates of criminal justice reform applauding the move while others express concerns about the impact on host neighborhoods. According to the New York City comptroller’s office, the total population of jails in the city was 6,182 as of August 2023, a significant decrease from the over 20,000 recorded in the early 1990s. In 2015, the population dropped below 10,000 for the first time in many years, but concerns about overcrowding persisted. The push to close Rikers Island, the city’s largest jail, and transfer inmates to new facilities in Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, and the Bronx, each holding no more than 3,300 inmates, has been driven by frequent fights, stabbings, and inmate deaths. This move is aimed at providing a more humane alternative to the overcrowded, unsanitary, and unsafe conditions at Rikers Island.
The City Council, including prominent members like Speaker Adrienne Adams and Criminal Justice Chair Sandy Nurse, has been advocating for the closure of Rikers Island and the expansion of services for inmates. However, concerns over public safety in light of high-profile crimes and an influx of illegal immigrants have raised doubts about the plan to transfer inmates to new locations.
Megan French-Marcelin from the Legal Action Center highlighted the need for specialized treatment for inmates with mental health problems, who make up a significant portion of the population at Rikers Island. She emphasized the importance of closing Rikers Island by 2027 and providing better facilities for inmates to improve public safety and address the longstanding issues at the jail. However, not everyone is convinced that transferring inmates to new facilities in the boroughs will address the underlying problems in the criminal justice system. Harvey Kushner from Long Island University expressed concerns about the potential negative impact on neighborhoods where the new facilities will be located.
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