SOURCE: NBC New York, The New York Times

Woman Who Spent 2 Years In Solitary Confinement Before Being Cleared To Sue City, Rikers Island Officers

#BlackLivesMatter: Trial Begins For Nine Correctional Officers In Brutal Beating Of Rikers Island Inmate “It will take many years and it will take many tough decisions along the way, but it will happen,” he said during an afternoon press conference. Rikers Island, a complex of 10 separate jails that houses as many as 15,000 people at one time, some awaiting trial and some serving sentences, has been plagued by allegations of abuse and rising reports of violence. Last year Mr de Blasio publicly rejected the idea of closing Rikers, calling it a “noble concept” but saying it would cost “billions and billions of dollars” and leave the city with nowhere to lock up its criminals. It was time to say that.”

While the mayor said that the city would draw down its jails population from 9,300 to 5,000, he refused to state why that number was necessary to close Rikers, and admitted that his plan was more of an “outline” than a written proposal.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announces that he is developing a plan to close the Rikers Island prison within 10 years.