Judge holds NYC in contempt over worsening conditions at Rikers, says federal takeover likely

A national justice held New York City successful contempt of tribunal Wednesday for failing to amended conditions astatine Rikers and different jails — and the scathing ruling says the justice is present “inclined” to spot the full correctional strategy nether national control.

The bombshell ruling from Manhattan Federal Court Chief Judge Laura Taylor Swain recovered that the metropolis has failed to instrumentality 18 sweeping reforms NYC agreed to enact nether the 2015 Nunez national consent decree aimed astatine improving information for unit and inmates connected Rikers Island and successful different metropolis jails operated by the Department of Correction.

As a result, Swain ruled the Adams medication is successful contempt of the 2015 decree connected each 18 points, including cardinal measures specified arsenic deaths successful custody and unit down bars.

“The use of unit complaint and different rates of violence, self-harm, and deaths successful custody are demonstrably worse than erstwhile the Consent Judgment went into effect successful 2015,” she wrote. ”

As the grounds successful this lawsuit demonstrates, the existent rates of usage of force, stabbings and slashings, fights, assaults connected staff, and in-custody deaths stay extraordinarily high, and determination has been nary important simplification successful the hazard of harm presently facing those who unrecorded and enactment successful the Rikers Island jails.”

2002

Todd Maisel/New York Daily News

An aerial presumption of Rikers Island successful New York City. (Todd Maisel/New York Daily News)

For that reason,the judge  wrote she’s each but definite to portion power of the jailhouse strategy from the Department of Correction and alternatively fto the national authorities instrumentality implicit day-to-day operations nether a “receivership” structure.

“The Court is inclined to enforce a receivership: namely, a remedy that volition marque the absorption of the usage of unit and information aspects of the Rikers Island jails yet answerable straight to the Court,” she wrote successful her 65-page ruling.

A spokeswoman for the mayor said she did not person immoderate contiguous comment.

Judge Laura Taylor Swain (Southern District of New York)

Swain has respective times earlier hinted she believes a receivership is successful order, including soliciting proposals from the Legal Aid Society, which filed the suit that resulted successful the 2015 decree, for however the national takeover would look. However, the justice has ne'er earlier stated outright she is apt to spot the strategy nether specified a structure.

With Graham Rayman

This communicative volition beryllium updated