Race Jones
gangster. grace. alchemy
The independent commission studying Rikers Island officially released its recommendations for closing the troubled jail complex on Sunday, more than a year after the panel was convened and two days after Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York reversed course to back the plan.
Melissa Mark-Viverito, the City Council speaker, who created the commission, said: “This is a historic day. With the release of this report and the support of the mayor as announced on Friday, we can now say that the dream of closing Rikers will become a reality.”
She announced a 10-year goal for the departure of the last inmate from Rikers. “Let’s hope we can make that a reality, too,” she said.
Mr. de Blasio announced his support for the plan on Friday, overshadowing the commission’s announcement on Sunday at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Manhattan. Jonathan Lippman, the state’s former chief judge, who led the study, said having the mayor on board was a worthy trade-off.
“On behalf of the commission and myself, I want you to know that we are all delighted, absolutely delighted, clearly, that the mayor has exercised real leadership and understanding that New York City must absolutely and as soon as possible close Rikers Island, period,” Mr. Lippman said. “It is a place that is an affront to humanity, and decency, and it is a stain on our city’s reputation.”
The mayor’s about-face, the release of the commission’s report and calls from Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo last month to close the jail complex represented a rare moment of political unity in the state, as speakers noted on Sunday. But they also hinted at the political difficulties facing such an ambitious project, not the least of which is a potential price tag of $13.9 billion, although the study also found that the changes would save the city $1.4 billion annually.
The recommendations call for a sweeping overhaul of not only the city’s physical jail structure but also its criminal justice system. They suggest ending the practice of incarcerating those awaiting trial for nonviolent crimes and reclassifying some low-level offenses.
A central tenet of the report calls for reducing the number of inmates in the city to 5,000, from the current average of about 10,000, within 10 years. Rikers generally houses about three-quarters of the city’s prisoners. The report recommends ending the “mass incarceration” model at Rikers by building five smaller prisons, one in each borough.
The proposal suggests turning the island into an infrastructure point that could include an additional runway for La Guardia Airport and a water treatment plant.
Mr. Lippman, in his remarks, also called for the island to be renamed and for a memorial or museum to “tell future generations the history of what happened” at the complex.
The news conference, held in the Moot Court Room at the college, was packed with city officials, activists clad in shirts that read “Close Rikers, Build Communities,” and a few former inmates.
Before it began, Mr. Lippman stood to the side of the stage, clutching a blue folder, as the crowd found seats.
Some attendees stopped to greet and hug Mr. Lippman.
“We’re on our way,” he told them.
-NYtimes.
BUTTTTTT I was all happy to hear about the closing of Rikers until I read this:
Rikers Island Could Be Closed And Replaced With Smaller Jails Around New York City
The pressure to close Rikers Island has been mounting since a scathing report issued by the Department of Justice in 2014 that found a "pattern and practice of excessive force" against adolescent inmates at the jail. That pressure grew after the suicide of Kalief Browder, a young man who was arrested for allegedly stealing a backpack. Browder spent three years at the jail — much of that time in solitary confinement — before the charges were dropped.
"The death of Kalief Browder was a wake-up call to this city," de Blasio said. "His death shook the whole city and opened everyone's eyes and made people think twice."
An expert panel that's been studying the issue for more than a year is expected to release its recommendations on Sunday. According to a draft plan obtained by The New York Times, the panel recommends replacing the Rikers Island complex and building smaller jails in each of the city's five boroughs, at a total cost of more than $10 billion.
De Blasio would not say where those new jail facilities might be located. Any potential locations would require approval from the city council, and would likely face significant local opposition.
"Right now, Rikers is an abomination," said City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, because inmates are "warehoused" on an island in the East River between Manhattan and Queens, far from their families and friends. "That does not help anyone on a path to rehabilitation," Mark-Viverito said, "so the idea of a community-based approach is laudable, I think. And it will have to lead to tough conversations and tough decisions."
Mayor de Blasio, who is running for reelection this year, said he was reluctant to close Rikers Island until a viable replacement was in sight. But de Blasio says falling crime rates and bail reform efforts convinced him that the city jail population could be brought down to about 5000 within a decade, making the plan to replace Rikers possible.
"A year ago, we didn't think it could be done," de Blasio said. "It would been irresponsible for me to say we had a plan if we didn't have a real plan. We now have a real plan."
Fuck liberalism!!!!!
Melissa Mark-Viverito, the City Council speaker, who created the commission, said: “This is a historic day. With the release of this report and the support of the mayor as announced on Friday, we can now say that the dream of closing Rikers will become a reality.”
She announced a 10-year goal for the departure of the last inmate from Rikers. “Let’s hope we can make that a reality, too,” she said.
Mr. de Blasio announced his support for the plan on Friday, overshadowing the commission’s announcement on Sunday at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Manhattan. Jonathan Lippman, the state’s former chief judge, who led the study, said having the mayor on board was a worthy trade-off.
“On behalf of the commission and myself, I want you to know that we are all delighted, absolutely delighted, clearly, that the mayor has exercised real leadership and understanding that New York City must absolutely and as soon as possible close Rikers Island, period,” Mr. Lippman said. “It is a place that is an affront to humanity, and decency, and it is a stain on our city’s reputation.”
The mayor’s about-face, the release of the commission’s report and calls from Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo last month to close the jail complex represented a rare moment of political unity in the state, as speakers noted on Sunday. But they also hinted at the political difficulties facing such an ambitious project, not the least of which is a potential price tag of $13.9 billion, although the study also found that the changes would save the city $1.4 billion annually.
The recommendations call for a sweeping overhaul of not only the city’s physical jail structure but also its criminal justice system. They suggest ending the practice of incarcerating those awaiting trial for nonviolent crimes and reclassifying some low-level offenses.
A central tenet of the report calls for reducing the number of inmates in the city to 5,000, from the current average of about 10,000, within 10 years. Rikers generally houses about three-quarters of the city’s prisoners. The report recommends ending the “mass incarceration” model at Rikers by building five smaller prisons, one in each borough.
The proposal suggests turning the island into an infrastructure point that could include an additional runway for La Guardia Airport and a water treatment plant.
Mr. Lippman, in his remarks, also called for the island to be renamed and for a memorial or museum to “tell future generations the history of what happened” at the complex.
The news conference, held in the Moot Court Room at the college, was packed with city officials, activists clad in shirts that read “Close Rikers, Build Communities,” and a few former inmates.
Before it began, Mr. Lippman stood to the side of the stage, clutching a blue folder, as the crowd found seats.
Some attendees stopped to greet and hug Mr. Lippman.
“We’re on our way,” he told them.
-NYtimes.
BUTTTTTT I was all happy to hear about the closing of Rikers until I read this:
Rikers Island Could Be Closed And Replaced With Smaller Jails Around New York City
The pressure to close Rikers Island has been mounting since a scathing report issued by the Department of Justice in 2014 that found a "pattern and practice of excessive force" against adolescent inmates at the jail. That pressure grew after the suicide of Kalief Browder, a young man who was arrested for allegedly stealing a backpack. Browder spent three years at the jail — much of that time in solitary confinement — before the charges were dropped.
"The death of Kalief Browder was a wake-up call to this city," de Blasio said. "His death shook the whole city and opened everyone's eyes and made people think twice."
An expert panel that's been studying the issue for more than a year is expected to release its recommendations on Sunday. According to a draft plan obtained by The New York Times, the panel recommends replacing the Rikers Island complex and building smaller jails in each of the city's five boroughs, at a total cost of more than $10 billion.
De Blasio would not say where those new jail facilities might be located. Any potential locations would require approval from the city council, and would likely face significant local opposition.
"Right now, Rikers is an abomination," said City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, because inmates are "warehoused" on an island in the East River between Manhattan and Queens, far from their families and friends. "That does not help anyone on a path to rehabilitation," Mark-Viverito said, "so the idea of a community-based approach is laudable, I think. And it will have to lead to tough conversations and tough decisions."
Mayor de Blasio, who is running for reelection this year, said he was reluctant to close Rikers Island until a viable replacement was in sight. But de Blasio says falling crime rates and bail reform efforts convinced him that the city jail population could be brought down to about 5000 within a decade, making the plan to replace Rikers possible.
"A year ago, we didn't think it could be done," de Blasio said. "It would been irresponsible for me to say we had a plan if we didn't have a real plan. We now have a real plan."
Fuck liberalism!!!!!
