"The four mayoral candidates expressed concern over Rikers Island, but also doubted its ability to fulfill the closure mandate due in 2027, about 18 months after the new term begins on Jan. 1, 2026. All but one of them think the correctional facility should be permanently shuttered; Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa said he would seek to keep it open and challenge the law requiring its closure."
"That's because Rikers Island has been placed under federal receivership under the order of Judge Laura Taylor Swain, who held the city in contempt for violence and conditions on Rikers Island specifically the ongoing violations of the constitutional rights of people in custody in the New York City jails. Swain will soon appoint a remediation manager to ensure that the violations are corrected to the court's satisfaction, making the Department of Correction (DOC), which operates Rikers, directly accountable to them."
Rikers Island is required to close by 2027 under a 2019 city law that mandates four smaller, borough-based jails as replacements. Community opposition has stalled the plan and only two of the proposed sites are under construction, making the deadline doubtful. Most mayoral candidates favor permanent closure but question meeting the 2027 timeline; one candidate intends to keep Rikers open and challenge the law. A federal judge placed Rikers under receivership for ongoing constitutional violations and will appoint a remediation manager, increasing DOC accountability. In-custody deaths surged in 2025, heightening concerns about conditions and detainee safety.
Read at www.amny.com
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