(C) Daily Kos
This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered.
. . . . . . . . . .
Do you believe the conditions at Rikers Island are beyond repair? [1]
['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']
Date: 2025-03-11
The Rikers Island jail again finds itself under judgement. Federal Judge Laura Taylor Swain is currently deliberating over two different proposals regarding the management of this infamous New York City jail. This decision comes after nearly a decade of her oversight aimed at ensuring compliance with a court order to overhaul the beleaguered facility. Despite these efforts, the conditions at Rikers have deteriorated, highlighted by the distressing statistic of at least 35 deaths since 2022 related to the jail. The judge’s contemplation of appointing an external receiver underscores the severity of the ongoing issues and the city's continued struggle to manage violence and provide adequate care at Rikers.
The city has struggled to control jail violence for decades. The Department of Correction is also the target of lawsuits about the denial of medical care to detainees and the decrepit conditions of the buildings at Rikers Island, which is in the East River near LaGuardia Airport. — nytimes.com What to Know About Proposals to Fix the Chaos at Rikers Island
The concept of a federal takeover, or receivership, suggests previous reform efforts have fallen short. This is not the first instance of such an intervention in correctional facilities. The two proposals before Judge Swain represent the diverse approaches to addressing the deep-seated issues at Rikers. One plan advocates for an external receiver with extensive powers, including the ability to renegotiate union contracts and make sweeping administrative changes. In contrast, the city’s proposal seeks to maintain more internal control, suggesting the current commissioner, Lynelle Maginley-Liddie, assume a dual role that would insulate her from political pressures yet keep the administration under the city's purview.
It is crucial to remember that Rikers Island is a jail, not a prison. This distinction is important because jails are intended for holding detainees pending trial, not for serving long-term sentences. Unfortunately, the history of Rikers is marred by recurring violence, inadequate conditions, and systemic failures that suggest a deep-rooted culture resistant to change. The ongoing deterioration of conditions despite numerous interventions raises questions about the efficacy of temporary reforms in a facility that operates under continual scrutiny and pressure.
The struggle to reform Rikers raises certain questions: Does the system resist change by design? Decades of identified issues and court interventions that have led to worsening conditions suggest a pattern that might be interpreted as a system that is operating in a way that is intentional. This perspective is especially disconcerting given the human rights of detainees and the integrity of the city's correctional system. With each passing year, the promise of closing Rikers and replacing it with smaller, more manageable facilities grows dimmer, overshadowed by bureaucratic delays and political hesitations.
Do you believe the conditions at Rikers Island are beyond repair?
[END]
---
[1] Url:
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/3/11/2309559/-Do-you-believe-the-conditions-at-Rikers-Island-are-beyond-repair?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=latest_community&pm_medium=web
Published and (C) by Daily Kos
Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified.
via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds:
gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/
