Introduction
Department of Correction Commissioner Joseph Ponte acknowledged that changing the culture of violence will take time.
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5/20/16 – A Hidden America: Inside Rikers Island
Video
Across 415 acres, the nearly 8,000 inmates of Rikers Island out of sight often out of mine, actually Judy being a marine biologist, all it'll be a lawyer.
55 percent of these inmates are black 34 percent Hispanic.
Some of them kids who have walked in this door for the first time had you been away from home before this 17 year, old, Franklin, smalls, his father left when he was a baby and like so many others here he's a child of the sprawling projects of New York, surrounded by poverty, gangs drugs, not only live in the presence of animals like some way they thought North Dakota, something some way that nobody please don't go.
There are thousands of inmates like Franklin sent here on nonviolent charges he's accused of possession and selling of drugs, it's a nonviolent drug offense, but Franklin who wants to go back to school has written a letter to the judge asking for another chance right here.
I'm a nobody I've learned from my mistakes.
There's.
A lot I look forward to in the future.
Give me someone to talk to if I feel myself thinking negative thoughts, the new Commissioner has given the officers of Rikers, a mandate get to know kids like Franklin helped them develop relationship before that wasn't something that was widely accepted.
Now we're encouraged to interact with the kids and I think that makes everything so much easier hoping to inoculate someone like Franklin against what's been called the gladiator school at Rikers in the past videos, have shown how even nonviolent kids had to learn to survive in a violent world.
They are very unpredictable with young adults.
They act out and they attack each other deputy, warden, Brantley, Debbie as she's known like we used to have a light switch and the guard around a light.
They would take that off and shop an edge and use that this veteran of 31 years can read the smallest signs of trouble brewing in this population of 18 to 21 year, olds overall at Rikers violence between inmates continues to increase in here.
Now, even everybody has on their sneakers everybody's, dressed so that's, either they knew you guys will come in or something's, getting ready to happen when they're real relaxed.
They got on flip-flops that making little suit issues it's, not a cold if I want to have a fight I don't want to fight with slippers on are you all afraid? Yeah.
Why wouldn't you be those projects where violence is just daily life? I see - would you sign this - oh I, see.
The scar that happened on the street, that's, a glass bottle, a roomful of kids with nothing to lose nothing to do some of them spending years here, awaiting trial, it's like the witching hour.
We call it nothing to do.
So if we did programming up until about 8:30 8 o'clock, there probably reduce our violence from your life programming.
The new Commissioner Joseph pond shows us.
One of his pilot projects units with 300 younger inmates who attend school then spend up to five hours on everything from computer training to anger management to horticulture.
We started planting in another part of the jail, 400 adult inmates also, attend college classes.
Job training we meet 50 year old, Greg Ferguson, who had to wait at Rikers for years, just to get a trial I had nine different judges, 23 different ad.
A John my case since I've been incarcerated.
He says this part of jail has dramatically changed this house.
We've been here since last year, August, no, cutting no slashes.
No stabbings pot says, there is evidence the reforms work, but it takes time to expand of the whole jail and time to retrain the 7,300 officers and staff.
The ones who made Rikers notorious with scenes, like these brutal force on a young man who left this place and committed suicide brutal force on mentally ill, inmates the retraining teaches officers to defuse tense situations and use tools like pepper spray.
Instead of brute force, the use of pepper spray is up, but serious violence between officers and inmates is way down and ponts says, a lot of the officers are ready to try to help and see what you guys don't understand there's.
A lot of us grew up from nothing I grew up in the South Bronx.
My family had no money.
It's.
Just my mother was strict watch siblings were strict, and we had to follow a loose.
Both my parents were, but we had nothing like I think, sometimes you look at us, and you think that we had it all.
So we don't understand what you guys don't do and that's, not true like the story of this young inmate who grew up in a rough world.
We noticed the tail on Murphy called Bam Bam had a charismatic hold on his fellow inmates at Rikers growing up.
He had a superstar older sister sought after by colleges named by ESPN is one of the best basketball players in the country I looked up.
So I was one of ours I was my role model.
She played bass for real while well, good at basketball I, love, basketball too I, wasn't as good as her, but I told her one day, I, won't do - one day I'll go get you, but one night and the stairwell of the housing project where they lived members of a rival gang came in and shot, his sister, three times inside he's, the king of resilience, encouraging everyone to focus on a positive future.
It keeps a lot of stress off my mind.
It keeps me looking forward.
So I got playing with the goals that I set for myself for the most of all.
You know, I'm young Sookie prepared and ready for the girls for the females he's been selected as a suicide prevention aide, which means walking the halls at night right now.
We'll, check my shoulder, everybody live breathing and well, nobody got no suicidal thoughts.
You know, just okay.
They got some Imani want to talk about a radio is playing the song exchange by Bryson tiller it's light out you glow, Brodie, no baby.
But we learned that there is another part of Murphy's story, a rival gang member, mocked the death of his sister in a video prosecutors say, Murphy murdered him when we first meet the trial is underway dispersing.
The first person her murdered saggy on saw enough herbs, brought me in the first a lot of times down I'm confused when they even come from home.
He says, he is innocent I, just put it all in God's hands.
But several days later, when we return it's, nine o'clock, everyone is locked in I walk down the hall to see Murphy Murphy has put a sheet over the door.
The jury has found him guilty of murder.
He is facing 25 years to life could I say, hello, yeah.
How are you doing? You walk the halls and take care of everybody in these halls Murphy is temporarily placed unsuited Rikers is about to end Dave again at 5:00 a.m.
is now about to end with the lights out.
And as we leave a goodbye from the young man hidden behind the sheet in his cell Murphy, wishing us a safe exit from the island saying, safe home.
Can't do it today? Can't do it too much today?.
FAQs
Now increased to a size of more than 400 acres (162 hectares), Rikers Island has been since 1935 the site of a city penitentiary that was relocated from Welfare (now Roosevelt) Island.
Are they closing Rikers Island? ›
The troubled prison is supposed to be shuttered and replaced by four borough-based jails as of August 2027.
Why is Rikers Island closing? ›
New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer announced his support to close Rikers Island. In her State of the City address, then-New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito called for reforms to reduce the inmate population at Rikers Island and, ultimately, to shut down the island.
Is Rikers Island the biggest jail? ›
Located between the New York City boroughs of Bronx and Queens in the East River, Rikers Island is the location of a large, sprawling correctional facility. Controversy follows this jail complex, which is one of the largest in the world.
How bad is Rikers Island jail? ›
New York City's Rikers Island jail complex has long been a dysfunctional, violent place. But 2021 has been particularly bloody. So far, 12 detainees have died there, at least five of them by suicide.
Who was the 15 year old sent to Rikers Island? ›
Kalief Browder (May 25, 1993 – June 6, 2015) was an African American youth from The Bronx, New York, who was held at the Rikers Island jail complex, without trial, between 2010 and 2013 for allegedly stealing a backpack containing valuables.
Was Tupac at Rikers Island? ›
Shakur began serving his prison sentence on sexual abuse charges at Rikers Island on February 14, 1995; before being transferred to Clinton Correctional Facility in March. While imprisoned, he began reading again, which he had been unable to do as his career progressed due to his marijuana and alcohol habits.
Who was the innocent man sent to Rikers Island? ›
Remembering Kalief Browder a Year After his Suicide and Why Rikers Island Should be Shut Down. On June 6, 2015, Kalief Browder took his own life following a brutal wrongful incarceration in New York's Rikers Island.
Is Rikers maximum security? ›
The net expansion of the island enabled the jail facilities to also expand. The original penitentiary building, completed in 1935, was called HDM or the House of Detention for Men; it became a maximum security facility called the James A. Thomas Center and closed due to structural issues in 2000.
Where will Rikers inmates go? ›
New facilities in Queens, Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx are scheduled to be built before the closure of the jails on Rikers Island in 2027. Once the new facilities are completed, all detained individuals on Rikers Island will be transferred from Rikers to live in the new jails.
The Department of Correction provides opportunities for visitation Wednesday – Sunday of each week. There are no visits on Mondays and Tuesdays. All visits are one (1) hour long in duration.
Why is Rikers Island so expensive? ›
Ex-commissioner of New York, Martin F. Horn said that other cities don't have a prison facility like Rikers Island. He added that to run the 400-acre island, which is next to the runways of LaGuardia Airport, costs hundreds of millions of dollars because they have thousands of staff.
How many jails are in NYC? ›
From the late 19th century through the mid-20th, the Island was expanded by landfill to its current 415 acres. Today, the Island is the Department's main base of operation, with 10 separate jails capable of housing up to 17,000 inmates.
Can you tour Rikers Island? ›
In-person visits are offered on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. To have an in-person visit, visitors must arrive at Rikers Island Central Visits or VCBC during the registration hours. Please see registration hours below: Wednesday and Thursday: 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM.
What is world's largest jail? ›
The largest prison in the world is the Silivri Penitentiaries Campus in the northwestern suburbs of Istanbul, Turkey, according to Guinness World Records. An investigation by the Turkish parliament in November 2019 found the prison complex's population was 22,781, just over half that of El Salvador's proposed facility.
What is the largest jail? ›
10 Largest Prisons in the World
- Metro West Detention Centre. Number of Total Inmates: 7,050. ...
- Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility. Number of Total Inmates: 8,811. ...
- The Maricopa County Jail. Number of Total Inmates: 9,265. ...
- The Harris County Jail. Number of Total Inmates: 10,044. ...
- Rikers Island. Number of Total Inmates: 13,849.
Louisiana State Penitentiary is the largest correctional facility in the United States by population.
Do felons go to Rikers? ›
Although you can be sentenced to Rikers for a felony conviction, if your felony sentence is longer than a year you will probably be sent to state prison.
Is Rikers Island toxic? ›
It was expanded to over 400 acres using garbage - and prison labor from Blackwell's Island. Today, the decomposing landll emits toxic methane gas that threatens the health of the people who are held there and who work there.
Who gets treated the worst in jail? ›
In the social hierarchy of prison inmates, mob kingpins, accomplished bank robbers, and cop killers tend to get the most respect. Convicts who have committed crimes against children, especially sexual abuse, are hated, harassed, and abused.
Sentence. The sentence was controversial because Tate was 12 years old at the time of the murder, and his victim was 6. He was the youngest person in modern US history to be sentenced to life imprisonment, bringing broad criticism on the treatment of juvenile offenders in the justice system of the state of Florida.
Who runs Rikers Island? ›
Louis A. Molina, the Department of Correction commissioner since only January, says he has a solution to a problem that has defied his predecessors. When Louis A. Molina became commissioner of New York City's Department of Correction just over four months ago, the Rikers Island complex was in a deepening crisis.
Does Rikers Island house female inmates? ›
Think about life without sanitary napkins, soap or even basic toiletries. This is the reality for hundreds of women incarcerated at the Rose M. Singer unit, the women's jail on Rikers island, commonly known as Rosies.
Where is Tupac buried? ›
celebrity graves: tupac shakur/. Tupac Shakur Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts, 5616 Memorial Drive, Stone Mountain, Georgia Whether you believe rapper Tupac Sakur died in a 1997 Las Vegas shooting, his memorial site is a monumental one.
How much was 2pac worth before he died? ›
Tupac Shakur net worth is $105 Million at the time of his death (2pac Worth Adjusted Inflation). Considered one of the best-selling music artists of all time, Tupac Shakur (2pac) has earned over $45 million through music sales.
Who found Tupac? ›
Former Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officer Chris Carroll, who discovered Tupac on the Las Vegas Strip before he died after a drive-by shooting, recalled that he made the final remark as he was dying in his arms.
Who were the 5 boys wrongly convicted? ›
The remaining five—Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana, and Korey Wise (known as the Central Park Five, later the Exonerated Five)—were convicted of the charged offenses and served sentences ranging from seven to thirteen years.
Who are the 4 guys wrongfully convicted? ›
Korey Wise, Antron McCray, Raymond Santana, Kevin Richardson and Yusef Salaam – individuals from the group, also known as the “Exonerated Five” – each served several years in prison before being exonerated in 2002. Robert M.
How many times was a Rikers Island correctional officer stabbed? ›
Rikers Island corrections officer stabbed 15 times in 'unprovoked, heinous and callous attack'
Who is the queen of Rikers Island? ›
Maxine Hansen, 25, was arrested last year after being found in the a plush suite at. Before she was granted bail in December, the self-proclaimed 'inheritance baby' spent time at Rikers Island. The stint inspired her hopes for a reality TV show which she believed she would be the perfect face of.
Rikers Island is a multipurpose Correctional Facility. There are many classes of inmates housed on the island as well as detainees. It can be classified as a detention center, minimum, medium, and maximum security facility.
What is the most secure jail? ›
1. ADX Florence, United States. Colorado's penitentiary, ADX Florence, is perhaps the most secure prison the world has ever seen.
What time do inmates wake up in Rikers Island? ›
All inmates are awakened at 6 AM for the formal inmate count. Correctional staff count and recount inmates over and over throughout the day. Around 7 AM, the feeding of breakfast begins. All inmate workers report to their jobs at 7:30 AM.
How much does it cost to be incarcerated at Rikers? ›
Including additional costs outside the DOC budget, such as employee fringe benefits and health care expenses for the incarcerated population, the full cost of incarcerating one person for one year was $556,539 in FY 2021.
How many inmates are currently housed at Rikers Island? ›
About 10,000 inmates are incarcerated on Rikers Island. Among the Rikers Island facilities are a jail for sentenced males, another for sentenced and detainee females, and a detention center for adolescent males, ages 16 to 18.
What not to wear to Rikers? ›
Plunging necklines, short shorts or athletic shorts, low tops or backless tops or dresses. Shorts or skirts shorter than mid-thigh are not allowed. Bathing suits. Attire displaying obscene/offensive, derogatory language or drawings or promoting illegal activity.
What is the longest time in Rikers? ›
He Spent 1,100 Days in Rikers Island a Legally Innocent Man. His Story Changed New York's Bail Laws. Kalief Browder was 16 at the time of his arrest. Determined to clear his name, he endured years' worth of emotional and physical abuse.
How much does it cost per inmate per year Rikers Island? ›
The misery at Rikers is not for lack of resources. The jail's population fell by half between 2012 and 2020, yet its budget grew by 24%. It costs $438,000 to jail one person there for one year.
Is Rikers Island for men only? ›
Completed in 1978, and named for DOC's second female commissioner, AMKC houses detained and sentenced male adults in a facility spread over 40 acres.
What is the average length of stay at Rikers? ›
Detainees spend an average of 115 days at Rikers – 4 times the national average - Gothamist.
As of Jun 19, 2023, the average hourly pay for a Rikers Island in the United States is $36.02 an hour.
What is the 1st largest jail? ›
The largest prison in the world is the Silivri Penitentiaries Campus (Silivri Ceza İnfaz Kurumları Kampüsü, better known simply as Silivri Prison), located in the north-western suburbs of Istanbul, Turkey.
Who has the largest inmate population? ›
El Salvador is not only the country with the highest prison rate worldwide, but also the country with the highest murder rate, reaching over 50 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2022.
Where is the largest jail located? ›
17,049: Welcome to America's largest jail" by Breeanna Hare and Lisa Rose. There are 3,096 county jail jurisdictions in the United States and the Los Angeles County jail system is the largest.
Is Rikers Island jail closing? ›
The troubled prison is supposed to be shuttered and replaced by four borough-based jails as of August 2027. However, construction on the Brooklyn complex could last through the summer of 2029, according to a contract award announcement in the City Record, a little more than six years past the project's start date.
How much does a correctional officer make at Rikers? ›
How much does a Correctional Officer make in Rikers Island, New York? As of Jun 21, 2023, the average annual pay for a Correctional Officer in Rikers Island is $46,031 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $22.13 an hour.
Are there houses on Rikers Island? ›
Living In Rikers Island, New York, NY
Rikers Island is a neighborhood located in New York, New York. There are currently 56 Houses for rent near the neighborhood. You can browse Houses for rent by price, number of bedrooms, amenities and more.
Was Rikers Island a plantation? ›
And considering the atrocities that occur on the island, it's no surprise that it's deeply rooted in slavery, as noted by the Atlantic's City Lab. The jail was named after Magistrate Richard Riker, who was the owner of the island in the early 1800s.
What was Rikers first name? ›
William Thomas "Will" Riker is a fictional character in the Star Trek universe appearing primarily as a main character in Star Trek: The Next Generation, portrayed by Jonathan Frakes.
When did Rikers Island first open? ›
Thomas Riker, or Tom, as his Maquis comrades would later call him, was an exact duplicate of William T. Riker, who was created following a transporter accident in 2361. As time progressed from the point of the accident, the two Rikers developed different personalities based on their differing life experiences.
What does Imzadi mean? ›
Troi's history with Riker had been introduced in the pilot episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, "Encounter at Farpoint"; this also included the word imzadi, a Betazoid term of endearment usually translated as "beloved".
What does Riker call Troi? ›
Data very rarely calls her by her first name, usually calling her "Counselor Troi". Depending on the situation, Commander Riker calls her "Deanna" or "Imzadi", which means "beloved" in the Betazoid language.
How many inmates died in Rikers Island this year? ›
A Rikers Island detainee died on May 27 after falling ill there, the third death at the jail complex in 2023 after what was its deadliest year in nearly a decade.
How many jails are on Rikers Island? ›
Rikers Island prison has ten different facilities. Otis Bantum Correctional Center, Anna M. Kross Center, George Motchan Detention Center, and George R. Vierno Center hold detained adult males.