Rikers Island sits conveniently yet remotely in the East River, between the Bronx and Queens, 300 feet from where La Guardia’s runways now sit. A home to hundreds of thousands of criminals is the city’s largest jail complex and hasn’t just made headlines over the centuries; it’s still the subject of debate.
Rikers has long held a reputation for its brutal conditions, but recently the situation has spun out of control. Ten inmates died in 2021 alone (at least five by their own doing), which is the jail’s largest death toll in years. Relatives of the incarcerated are fearing for their loved ones’ lives.