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CLOSING RIKERS & CREATING A SAFER, MORE JUST NEW YORK CITY

New York City is on the historic path toward permanently closing the decrepit, dangerous, dysfunctional jail complex on Rikers Island — jails that undermine public safety and the safety of everyone who works and is incarcerated in them every day that they remain open.

Re-appointed by City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams in October 2023, with the full support of Mayor Eric Adams, the Independent Rikers Commission 2.0 will lay out a refreshed blueprint of proven policies to help ensure Rikers closes, in the context of the changed realities of a post-COVID New York City and the law mandating closure by August 31, 2027. The Commission will work with community, criminal justice system, and government stakeholders to develop these enhanced plans and to facilitate their implementation.

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New York will close Rikers Island says Mayor Adams and Rikers Commission chair Lippman

“[W]e remain committed to the important goal of closing Rikers. Now more than ever, it is essential that our government, elected leaders, and dedicated advocates come together to find practical solutions to achieve this end. That is what the Independent Rikers Commission intends to do, with the full support of City Hall and the Council.” Read More →

A Safer, More Effective Option than Rikers: 1,500 Secure Treatment Beds for People with Serious Mental Illness and Addiction Issues

“Each year, thousands of people with serious mental illness and addiction issues cycle into the violence and chaos of the Rikers Island jails. Almost 90% are jailed pre-trial, often waiting months or years in Rikers for their day in court. In the end, most come straight back to our communities. Frequently, they are destabilized, worse off than when they went in. The result is further harm, reduced safety – and often, re-incarceration.

We urgently require a safer, more effective approach on a scale that matches the need. The City should open at least 1,500 secure treatment beds in hospitals – outside of Rikers – to provide people who are detained with significantly better access to mental health and substance use treatment. In many ways, this is the future of corrections.” Read More →

 

Incarceration must not only be used sparingly, but also humanely, with a focus on preparing people to re-enter society.

Hon. Jonathan Lippman, Chair, Independent Rikers Commission