Closerikers.org
Glenn E. Martin, President and founder of JustLeadershipUSA, and Gabriel Sayegh, Co-founder and Co-Executive Director of the Katal Center for Health, Equity, and Justice are leaders in the #CLOSErikers campaign. They issued the following statements in response to Mayor Bill de Blasio’s announcement that the New York City jail population has declined dramatically since he took office.
Glenn E. Martin, President and founder of JustLeadershipUSA said, “These numbers show that there are no more excuses. Now is clearly the time to take action to close Rikers. Instead, the Mayor is moving forward with plans to renovate the failed jail. It is not progressive to renovate Torture Island. Leaving Rikers open is a failure of leadership. It makes no sense to continue on the same path we know isn’t working. The dramatic drop in incarceration rates accomplished at the same time as record lows in crime makes the path forward clear to New Yorkers, but City Hall isn’t paying attention. Mr. Mayor, it is time to finally align your actions with your values and close Rikers once and for all.”
Gabriel Sayegh, Co-founder and Co-Executive Director of the Katal Center for Health, Equity, and Justice said, “The lower headcount in the city’s jails should prove once and for all that now is the time for Rikers Island to close permanently. The jail has been the site of too many tragedies and injustices, from Kalief Browder’s outrageous detention, to countless men and women whose suffering never made the news, but should nonetheless never be forgotten. Mayor de Blasio needs to stop delaying and move immediately to close Rikers.”
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