Ongoing, endemic violence was a significant contributing factor to the City Council’s decision in October 2019 to close Rikers and to construct the borough jails. The sense of urgency behind the Council’s decision was underscored by one of the more recent casualties. In late 2019, an adolescent hanged himself as guards watched for seven minutes before taking him down. Left with severe injuries, he sunk into a coma and later died.
His tragic case leaves one wondering if he had immediate access to services, perhaps his death could have been prevented. The borough jails offer the promise of better access to services and family support by removing the barrier of traveling to an island.
10,000 inmates held in Rikers daily
77,000 cycle through
85% are pretrial detainees and 15% have been convicted
40% have a mental illness