The city’s decision to close the prisons on Rikers Island and transfer inmates to four smaller detention centers in the outer boroughs has sparked vigorous support and opposition.
Criminal justice reform advocates are hailing the move as long overdue, while others are expressing concern about the impact on the neighborhoods that will host the prisoners.
Under the plan, which New York City officials approved in an October 2019 vote, the closure of the prison and transfer of the inmates is expected to be complete no later than 2027.
Estimates of the number of inmates at Rikers vary widely. Figures from the New York City comptroller’s office put the total at 6,182 as of August 2023.
The population has fluctuated over the years and is significantly smaller from the more than 20,000 recorded in the early 1990s. […]
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