At The Fortune Society, our leadership, staff, and participants have experienced the violence and chaos of Rikers Island firsthand, both as people who were incarcerated and as those who work to support and advocate for them.

Over the years, the Department of Correction leadership has been tasked with addressing the deeply entrenched issues at Rikers. However, it has become painfully clear that despite any efforts, the scale and complexity of the challenges have consistently outpaced the authority and resources available. In this context, we view the appointment of a federal remediation manager with the ability “to take all actions necessary” as a critical opportunity to intervene decisively in a system that has been practically impossible to transform.

We believe this ruling has the potential to mark a turning point, toward greater safety, justice, and accountability, for both the incarcerated population and the staff who work at Rikers. We remain committed to working in partnership with existing leadership to support meaningful and lasting change.

Even with this new development, the moral and practical imperative remains: Rikers Island must be closed. We continue to call upon city leaders to act swiftly and mobilize all available resources to shutter the facility. We unwaveringly support smaller, borough-based facilities as safer, more humane alternatives. Places where people can remain closer to their families, communities, and other supports.