New York City mayor Bill de Blasio visited Rikers Island recently to announce the end of solitary confinement for the 16 and 17 year old inmates serving time there. The move was the result of a 2 1/2 year federal investigation. It wasn’t enough though. Federal authorities have announced a lawsuit against the city for stemming from reports of young inmates being abused by prison guards. The measure is meant to remedy a “deep seated culture of violence” that is said to exist at Rikers, the second largest jail system in the United States of America.
Attorney General Eric Holder says the lawsuit comes after four months of negotiations with the city to reform the current system at Rikers Island. The feds are aiming for get court-enforceable consent from a judge to ensure that reforms take place at the jail. Though de Blasio ended the solitary confinement for the teen convicts in Rikers, that was just one of 73 recommendations made by the feds. The feds are looking to cut down on the violence, enhance investigations, strengthen accountability of guards and reduce the use of solitary confinement further.
New York City has also amended solitary confinement practices by reducing the stay from 90 days to 30. They have also decreased the staff-to-inmate ratio from 33 inmates ti every one staff member to 15 inmates per every staff member. The city has also vowed to raise funds to increase their video surveillance system in Rikers Island. Between September and November, there were 71 reports of force used by staff against 18 year-old inmates in facilities lacking surveillance cameras. Of that number, 40 have been restricted to solitary confinement in the last month.
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