NYC Seeks Funding To Fix Rikers Crisis — 12 Deaths Later (1)

A raft of inmate suicides and deaths at New York City’s largest jail has reignited calls to shut down the complex ahead of a planned 2027 closure. Instead, city leaders are now sinking more dollars into the Rikers Island Correctional Facility.

Mayor Bill de Blasio has said recently he wants to direct more money into a jail he pledged to close because the jail’s inhumane conditions need to be rectified immediately. Recent mitigation plans include adding 600 new correctional officers to make up for the thousands of jail employees who aren’t showing up to work. Democratic mayoral nominee Eric Adams, who recently toured the complex and is favored to win ...