Mayor Adams’ workplace mentioned Tuesday that his group has regarded into the opportunity of constructing a psychological well being facility as a substitute of a jail on the Manhattan web site chosen to turn into one of many 4 borough-based lockups meant to switch Rikers Island.
Liz Garcia, a spokeswoman for Adams, confirmed the talks in regards to the Manhattan location after the mayor informed reporters in a press convention that the Brooklyn borough-based jail web site can be an “excellent place” to construct a psychological well being facility as a substitute of a detention advanced. Garcia mentioned Adams meant to discuss with the Manhattan borough-based jail web site in Chinatown.
On Friday, Garcia mentioned Adams’ administration is continuous to construct borough-based jails, however didn’t deny conversations have taken place internally about doubtlessly developing housing as a substitute on a few of the websites. Garcia did say Friday that Adams’ group has not checked out turning the Brooklyn borough jail web site right into a psychological well being advanced.
However on Tuesday, Garcia mentioned, the truth is, that might be getting checked out, too, as a possible web site for a psychological well being advanced.
“Everything is on the table,” she mentioned.
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Todd Maisel/New York Each day Information
An aerial view of the Rikers Island jail advanced in New York Metropolis. (Todd Maisel / New York Each day Information)
The proposed Manhattan borough-based jail has drawn intense pushback from native elected officers and group advocates who say it’d be a foul match for the neighborhood. It’s unclear if an effort to show the positioning right into a psychological well being facility as a substitute would quell these issues.
Adams has for months mused about making one of many borough-based jails a psychological well being facility with out specifying which web site he believes can be greatest suited. By some estimates, about half these housed on Rikers are affected by some form of psychiatric incapacity.
The behind-the-scenes efforts to rethink the plan comes depsite town already being nicely not on time on the legally mandated plan to shutter Rikers and exchange it with borough-based jails by 2027. Beneath contracts signed for all 4 borough-based jails, none of them are slated to be accomplished for opening by then, when Rikers by legislation have to be closed.
Adams reiterated Tuesday that he doesn’t consider the jail advanced can shutter on time.
“I think it’s pie in the sky to close in 2027,” he mentioned, including the legislation to shut Rikers “was flawed from the beginning.”
Amid the talk over the plan, it stays unclear what may occur to the detainees presently housed on the island. Even had been the mission to be accomplished on time, the census on Rikers far exceeds the deliberate capability.
The inmate inhabitants on Rikers has swelled underneath Adams, with greater than 7,000 presently held there, most of them awaiting trial. That’s much more inmates than might be accommodated within the borough-based jails, that are designed to have roughly 4,100 beds, making the likelihood Rikers could have keep open previous 2027 much more doubtless.
Unbiased Rikers Fee government director Zachary Katznelson famous his group has really useful constructing 500 new forensic psychiatric beds “in a separate facility — in addition to the four safer, modern jails near the courthouses, not instead of one.”
“That’s how we can best support crime victims, incarcerated people, and correctional staff,” Katznelson mentioned.
Protestors march from Metropolis Corridor Park to Foley Sq. to attend a rally calling for the closing of Rikers Island Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024 in Manhattan, New York. (Barry Williams for New York Each day Information)
Any modification Adams would search to the borough-based jails plan may face a litany of hurdles. The legislation states Rikers, which has for many years been affected by violence and harmful situations, should shut by August 2027 and get replaced with the 4 borough jails.
Adopted in 2019, the legislation would must be modified by the Metropolis Council to ensure that any potential tweaks to turn into a actuality, and Council Democrats have made clear they’re not trying to change the underlying plan. If Adams went forward with a modification to the plan with out Council approval, he’d likley face lawsuits.
Adams hasn’t formally launched a proposal to the Council for how you can change the Shut Rikers plan.
With Josie Stratman and Graham Rayman
Initially Revealed: Could 6, 2025 at 5:13 PM EDT
