The US Attorney’s Office in Manhattan said Monday it’s pushing for a federal takeover of Rikers Island – an extraordinary move that would prevent city leaders from handling much-needed reforms inside the jail system.
US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams said in a statement the feds can no longer wait for “substantial progress” to be made on Rikers, and his office would seek a powerful court-appointed receiver to address the horrid conditions.
“Rikers Island has been in crisis for years,” the Biden appointee said. “This is a collective failure with deep roots, spanning multiple mayoral administrations and DOC commissioners.
“But after eight years of trying every tool in the toolkit, we cannot wait any longer for substantial progress to materialize.”
A federal court-appointed receiver differs from the court-appointed monitor that only oversees the operations at Rikers by issuing reports and making recommendations.
The federal takeover would give across-the-board control to an independent authority that typically would have the same budgetary and hiring-and-firing power that a mayor and commissioner have.
A spokesperson for Mayor Eric Adams did not immediately return an email Monday.
Federal prosecutors, in addition to requesting a federal takeover, said Monday they will pursue contempt proceedings that would force the DOC into action to keep inmates and DOC staff safe.
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The US Attorney’s Office said the latest move was made after the federal monitor found that despite some progress in certain areas, the DOC has not made “substantial and demonstrable progress” in reducing the chaos at Rikers.
A city spokesperson previously said officials would fight any contempt motion and the record would show that “important and necessary steps” have been taken to improve Rikers.
Federal Judge Laura Taylor Swain would need to approve either request from the US Attorney’s Office.
Adams has consistently backed DOC Commissioner Louis Molina, who has said the DOC is making “great strides” to fix Rikers.
The federal monitor was appointed after the US government and the city reached a settlement in 2015 in hopes of reducing the rampant violence inside the jails on Rikers.
There have been six reported detainee deaths inside the city’s jail system this year
There were 19 deaths last year.
