Mayor Gives Rikers Island the Death Sentence

Mayor de Blasio vowed to close the controversial Rikers Island on Friday in a move he said is intended to end mass incarceration in New York City. 

 

De Blasio stressed the closure will not happen overnight. He set out goals reducing Rikers' inmate population from 9,300 to 5,000 in at least a decade before logistically splitting up the jail. 

 

"It will take many years. It will take many tough decisions along the way," said the mayor, "But it will happen."

 

"Tough decisions" include where to put the 5,000 inmates left over once Rikers Island closes. A  reported independent commission was to recommend shutting down Rikers and transfer inmates to new jails across the five boroughs. The next day after the story, the mayor came out in favor of getting rid of Rikers but put the breaks on speculation as to where inmates or new jails are going to be located.

 

"Some out there have said words like 'borough-based.' I am not buying into that. I working from a neutral position of saying I only know this: we will need a few more facilities." said de Blasio, "I would argue the fewer the better."

 

The mayor said the only way to begin the process of reducing Rikers' inmate population and moving inmates out is to focus on reducing crime

 

Closing Rikers Island has not neccessarily been a priority for de Blasio's three year administration when last year he played coy about the city's ability to shut down the jail complex. But today, he doubled down on his commitment to get rid of Rikers.

 

"Rikers Island is an example and an expression of a major national problem. The mass incarceration did not begin in New York City, but it will end here," said the mayor.

 

The 85 year-old jail has been wrought with controversy in recent decades. The story of Kalief Browder shined a spotlight on the culture of violence at Rikers Island and some of the issues that occur with sentencing delays.

 

Mayor de Blasio disputed the closing of Rikers as purely a symbolic act. He said once Rikers reduces its inmate population to 7,000, work can begin building new facilities that focus on rehabilitation rather than detention.