FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, October 27th, 2026
Contact: Yonah Zeitz, yonah@katalcenter.org | (347) 201-2769
Follow on Bluesky @KatalCenter | #ShutRikers | #CutShutInvestNY
Statement from the Katal Center on the New York City Council Joint Committee on Criminal Justice and Committee on Women and Gender Equity Oversight Hearing On Maternal Health and Criminal Justice
New York, NY: Today, the New York City Council Committee on Criminal Justice and Committee on Women and Gender Equity held an oversight hearing on Maternal Health and Criminal Justice. Katal member Ziyadah Amatul-Matin testified at the hearing, highlighting personal impacts of Rikers on women and families in New York.
There are over 500 women currently incarcerated at Rikers Island. Over half of the women incarcerated are Black, and 70% of the women incarcerated are caregivers, with a majority having children under 18 years old.
In November 2025, we issued a report with the Data Collaborative for Justice at John Jay titled, “Rikers Island and Mental Health: Pathways Toward Community-Based Diversion and Jail Population Reduction.” The report found disproportionate gender impact: Of close to 500 women jailed at Rikers as of October 2025, 87% have needed mental health services, compared to 58% of men. Women incarcerated in NYC jails have complex mental health and physical health needs, including maternal health, that are not adequately addressed
Statements from impacted people and community group:
Ziyadah Amatul-Matin, Member of the Katal Center for Equity, Health, and Justice, said: “As someone who has had family members incarcerated at Rikers Island, I know first-hand how dire the conditions are there. Every minute that passes by is another minute that the people detained there run the risk of losing their lives. As a mother myself, I can affirm that pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and parenting do not stop at a jail gate. And it is infuriating to know that the women detained at Rikers are met with a system that fails to provide them with the wrap-around services that they need to ensure their health and that of their babies. This system is perpetuating generational trauma. No city that is serious about reversing maternal mortality— particularly the deadly racial disparities that we face as Black women— can continue to cage women on an island with a deep history of abuse and medical neglect. The council must use their legislative and budgetary power to reduce the jail population, advance the closure of Rikers with a clear timeline, and hold the mayor accountable to the closure law. Lives are at stake.”
Tomika King, Member of the Katal Center for Equity, Health, and Justice, said: “Women who are incarcerated should never be denied consistent, proper medical care because of their life choices. Under the Safe Motherhood Amendment, they are entitled to the care they need. Quality medical care is essential to protecting women’s physical and mental health, as well as the health and well-being of their unborn children. Incarceration does not take away a woman’s right to dignity, compassion, and adequate healthcare. The City Council, alongside Mayor Mamdani, must act immediately and develop a clear closure plan for Rikers Island. No woman should have to endure neglect and inadequate medical care while incarcerated. It is time to close Rikers and invest in a system that prioritizes care, dignity, and humanity”
Scott Young, Member of the Katal Center for Equity, Health, and Justice, said: “The lack of care for anyone on Rikers Island is unacceptable, but the neglect of pregnant women is especially heartbreaking and inhumane. Pregnancy brings significant physical and emotional changes, and no woman should have to endure those changes in a place where her health, safety, and dignity are not protected. This is a matter of humanity, accountability, and justice. The New York City Council must hold the Mayor accountable for developing a clear plan to close Rikers Island. Our communities, especially Black women and other women of color who are disproportionately impacted by systemic inequities, deserve better. How many more pregnant women’s lives must be put at risk before our leaders act? The time for promises is over. The time for action is now. Shut down Rikers. ”
Melanie Dominguez, Organizing Director at the Katal Center for Equity, Health, and Justice, said: “Black, Brown and low-income women are disproportionately impacted by incarceration when compared to their white counterparts. Currently, there are over 500 women detained at Rikers Island and over half of the women are Black. The majority of these women are caregivers who do not stop being a parent upon incarceration. Yet, they enter a criminal legal system that tries to strip them of that. The Department of Correction is also failing to provide proper and adequate care for people who are pregnant and under their custody. The Council must hold the Mayor accountable to reducing the number of people held at Rikers, and to closing the jails as the law requires.”
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