Not so fast. With Raise the Age going into effect this week, the city’s 16- and 17-year-olds in custody are just moving from one jail to another.
October 1, 2018 https://citylimits.org/2018/10/01/the-kids-are-leaving-rikers-is-it-really-a-new-day-for-juvenile-justice-in-nyc/‘We must recognize that the culture of violence exists on Rikers Island – and will continue to exist in the new borough facilities that will be built – if concrete measures aren’t taken to directly address and effectively reduce the violence that exists currently.’
September 20, 2018 https://citylimits.org/2018/09/20/cityviews-addressing-trauma-is-key-to-stopping-violence-on-rikers-and-the-jails-that-will-replace-it/In the wake of a state budget that whiffed on criminal justice reform, Gov. Cuomo has continued to chide Mayor de Blasio for sticking to a 10-year timeline for closing Rikers Island that the governor believes is too slow.
April 6, 2018 https://citylimits.org/2018/04/06/video-top-advocate-says-cuomo-de-blasio-both-can-do-more-to-close-rikers/Also: Marking the anniversary of Malcolm X’s death.
February 21, 2018 https://citylimits.org/2018/02/21/video-councils-lancman-on-next-steps-to-close-rikers/After a 2017 New York City election season devoid of suspense, Elizabeth Crowley was on the on the wrong side of the only real drama on election night.
December 6, 2017 https://citylimits.org/2017/12/06/max-murphy-in-exit-interview-crowley-discusses-rikers-gender-and-her-upset-defeat/While there’s a lot of discussion about where new jails might go, the heavier lift might be figuring out how to release enough violent-felony defendants to allow the city to move detainees off the island.
December 4, 2017 https://citylimits.org/2017/12/04/council-committee-grills-mayors-team-on-plan-to-close-rikers/A writer currently incarcerated on the island writes that re-establishing similarly flawed facilities elsewhere will displace the problems on Rikers, but won’t dispense with them.
November 27, 2017 https://citylimits.org/2017/11/27/cityviews-the-need-for-correction-reform-goes-beyond-simply-closing-rikers/Whether the timeline is three years or 10, a former Correction captain lays out the issues facing policymakers, officers and inmates.
November 16, 2017 https://citylimits.org/2017/11/16/cityviews-the-three-questions-nyc-must-answer-if-it-is-serious-about-closing-rikers/Albanese described a plan that revolved around thinning out the population on the island and then closing the facilities there that displayed the worst conditions.
September 5, 2017 https://citylimits.org/2017/09/05/video-sal-albanese-outlines-his-plan-for-closing-rikers/Plus debates in two Council races.
September 5, 2017 https://citylimits.org/2017/09/05/crime-stats-kosher-food-and-a-plan-for-rikers-campaign-schedule-for-sept-5/
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