US EditionJudge seizes control of New York City’s Rikers Island jail complex
- On May 13, 2025, a federal judge in Manhattan ordered the appointment of an independent remediation manager to oversee New York City’s Rikers Island jail system and implement necessary reforms.
- The ruling follows nearly 14 years of class-action litigation initiated by the Legal Aid Society, citing persistent violence and repeated failure to implement court-ordered reforms at Rikers.
- The remediation manager will be granted extensive authority over personnel matters and contract negotiations, working in coordination with the city’s corrections commissioner to tackle persistent constitutional violations within the jail system.
- Judge Swain described jail conditions as "unsafe and dangerous" with "unprecedented rates of use of force and violence" representing a "grave and immediate threat" to inmates' constitutional rights.
- The decision removes full control of Rikers from city officials, marking a critical turning point that could enable transformational reforms previously blocked by bureaucracy and political obstacles.
106 Articles
106 Articles
The federal takeover of Rikers Island
New York City has lost control of its jails. In May, a federal judge ruled that the city’s jails, including Rikers Island, will now be run by a manager who will report directly to the court. What’s next for one of the country’s largest and most notorious facilities?
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Federal Judge Ends NYC Control Of Rikers Island
Source: JEWEL SAMAD / Getty A federal judge has taken control of the Rikers Island correctional facility out of New York City’s hands, ordering that an outside “remediation manager” take over the duties of overseeing the jail complex plagued with instances of violence and inmate deaths. U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain made the ruling in a 77-page decision, calling for a “support remediation of the ongoing violations of the constitutional …
Federal Judge Seizes Control Over The Infamous Rikers Island Prison Complex
A federal judge has taken control of Rikers Island, citing nearly a decade of failure by New York City to fix deadly and unconstitutional conditions. The ruling installs a court-appointed overseer with sweeping authority over one of America’s most infamous jails. Key Facts: Judge Laura Taylor Swain ruled that New York City failed to implement required reforms at Rikers Island despite a 2015 consent judgment. The judge has appointed a Nunez Reme…
Outside “Remediation Manager” Will Run Rikers Island, Judge Rules
A federal judge has made a historic decision to take control of the Rikers Island jail complex away from the New York City government. An independent official will be appointed to run the jails instead. This comes after years of advocacy and court battles, during which the city has repeatedly failed to show improvement in safety or living conditions behind bars. On May 13, Judge Laura Taylor Swain ruled that she will appoint an outside administr…
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