Is there flooding in the Rikers Island jail?

According to multiple sources, including city Comptroller Scott Stringer (who mentioned it at a panel discussion in November 2015) and people incarcerated at Rikers at the time, there was enough flooding to cause damage. Flooding occurred in the Robert N. Davoren Center, one of the 10 jails on the island that houses detainees.

Is it hard to breathe on Rikers Island?

In short, it’s hard to breathe on or around Rikers. Around 10 percent of the people incarcerated at Rikers Island have asthma and this figure doesn’t include the prison staff on the island, which is subject to the same polluted air.

Who are the majority of people in Rikers Island?

About 40 percent of the Rikers population has been diagnosed with a mental illness. And the overwhelming majority of the people incarcerated on the island — about 90 percent — are black or Latino. To further complicate matters: The vast majority of people detained at Rikers have not been convicted of a crime.

Where is Rikers Island in New York City?

Projected 100-year flood and 500-year flood zones paint a troubling picture. The jail complex, which holds between 7,800 and 10,000 people, sits on a 415-acre island in New York’s East River, between the Hunts Point neighborhood of the Bronx to the north and LaGuardia Airport to the south.

Who are the famous inmates of Rikers Island?

Rikers Island, a New York jail notorious for the grim stories of cruelty and abuse that emerged from behind its walls, and for its infamous inmates – among them Tupac Shakur, Sid Vicious, and Mark David Chapman – is to close.

How many people go to Rikers Island per year?

The complex, operated by the New York City Department of Correction, has a budget of $860 million a year, a staff of 9,000 officers and 1,500 civilians managing 100,000 admissions per year and an average daily population of 10,000 inmates The majority (85%) of detainees are pretrial defendants, either held on bail or remanded in custody.

When is Rikers Island jail going to close?

Following a vote by council members, his first demand at least will come to fruition – the storied jail is now set to close in 2026.

Why is Rikers Island called the North Infirmary?

The North Infirmary Command, which used to be called the Rikers Island Infirmary, is used to house inmates requiring extreme protective custody, inmates with special health needs, mentally ill inmates, and inmates undergoing drug detoxification.