Reports Fact Sheets Videos So Many Reasons to Close Rikers

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

Dilapidated, dangerous, and inordinately expensive, the Rikers Island jail complex harms public safety, staff, and incarcerated people. Rikers must close. Urgently.

Our Commission’s Blueprint of proven policies and investments, crafted through deep research, analysis, and consultations, charts the path to safely and permanently close Rikers as soon as possible.

We work with community, criminal justice system, and government stakeholders to implement this clear, actionable path to end the scourge of Rikers.

“Rikers hurts safety – in the jails and in our communities. For the first time in memory, we have a constellation of government leaders who recognize this and support closing the jail complex. We have to seize this moment and accomplish all we can while that window is open.

The Independent Rikers Commission’s Blueprint to Close Rikers lays out the path forward. Our research, policy, subject matter & implementation expertise are helping make progress.

The faster we implement change, the safer NYC will be, and the more the jail population will drop. That means: bolstering treatment for people with serious mental illness, speeding up criminal cases, increasing support for crime victims, cutting reoffending, providing safe, humane facilities, and advancing Renewable Rikers. That’s how we build a system New Yorkers can be proud of. ” 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