Correcting corrections: Federal judge plans to hear out Rikers receivership arguments
By: Tandy Lau via Amsterdam News Rikers Island is legally-mandated to close by 2027. But before then, receivership—which temporarily wrests control over the embattled jail from the city—is now on the table as federal judge Laura Taylor Swain opened the door to arguments for the move this past Thursday, Aug. 10. Before the key hearing, […]
The future of Rikers Island
By: Hazel Sanchez, Dan Mannarino, Veronica Rosario via PIX11 NEW YORK (PIX11) – The fate of Rikers Island is in the hands of a federal judge Thursday, who will start hearing arguments on whether or not the jail should be taken over by the feds. Henry Robinson, who spent three months on Rikers Island, and Melanie Dominguez, […]
Federal judge will hear arguments on potential takeover of New York City’s troubled jail system
By: Jake Offenhartz via AP News NEW YORK (AP) — A federal judge agreed Thursday to begin a process that could wrest control of New York City’s troubled jail system from Mayor Eric Adams and place a court-appointed outside authority in charge of Rikers Island. The decision follows a series of reports from a court-appointed federal monitor […]
Advocates rally for feds to take control of Rikers Island, argue city can’t ‘keep people alive’ there
By: Dean Moses via AMNY New Yorkers marched through the rain in Lower Manhattan on Thursday to demand the feds take control of Rikers Island as they charge Mayor Adams has “failed” to improve the penal island during his administration. New Yorkers marched through the rain in Lower Manhattan on Thursday to demand the feds […]
Judge orders Rikers Island safe from federal takeover, for now
By: Ayanna Harry via PIX11 NEW YORK (PIX11) — A judge stopped short of ordering a federal takeover of Rikers Island after a court hearing Thursday afternoon. Judge Laura Swain said she believes people detained on Rikers Island are at grave risk of immediate harm. The Judge agreed to continue hearing arguments in favor of placing the […]
Receiver Could Soon Take Over Rikers Island, After New Damning Report
By: Alexander Lekhtman via Filter Magazine The political and legal battle over the future of New York City’s Rikers Island jail complex has reignited after publication of a damning report on August 7. Rikers is supposed to be shut down later this decade, to be replaced by smaller facilities throughout New York’s boroughs. But a […]
Federal Judge Eyes a ‘Last Resort’ Fix for New York City’s Jails
By: Beth Schwartzapfel via The Marshall Project Last month, a federal judge overseeing a court settlement seeking to make New York City’s notorious Rikers Island jails safer signaled that she is losing patience with the city’s corrections department. After years of dysfunction and disorder at the complex, Judge Laura Taylor Swain said she was beginning to question whether city officials “are capable of […]
Closing Rikers Island and Decarcerating New York City
By: Margaret Kimberely via Black Agenda Radio Melanie Dominguez is the lead organizer for the Katal Center for Equity, Health, and Justice. She joins us to discuss the ongoing crisis at the Rikers Island jail in New York City. Twenty-five people died in New York City jails during the Eric Adams administration. Melanie Dominguez joins us […]
Opinion: Eric Adams has failed. It’s time for a federal receiver to take over at Rikers
By: gabriel sayegh via City & State On Sunday, another man incarcerated at the Rikers Island jail complex died. Curtis Davis was at least the 26th person to die in the New York City jail system since Mayor Eric Adams took office last year. Like Mr. Davis, most people caged at Rikers haven’t been convicted: They’re being held […]
‘Heartbreaking’ – Inmate advocates address Rikers Island death; 6th inside NYC jails this year
By News 12 Staff via News12 The New York City Department of Correction announced another death at Rikers Island, marking the sixth incarcerated individual to die in a New York City jail this year. According to the DOC, 44-year-old Curtis Davis was found unresponsive in his jail cell at 5 a.m. on July 23. They say […]
