City Council's Common Sense Caucus at odds with latest federal monitor's report on conditions at Rikers Island
NEW YORK -- A group of City Council members says conditions at Rikers Island have improved by leaps and bounds.
Its assessment comes after a new report by a federal monitor slammed city efforts yet again.
The federal monitor claims the city's efforts to fix Rikers have been, "haphazard, tepid and insubstantial," making you wonder if the monitor is talking from planet Mars or the members of the council's Common Sense Caucus are.
READ MORE: Death of 7th Rikers Island detainee Curtis Davis renews calls for federal takeover
They walked out of the troubled jail complex after an extensive tour, with findings totally at odds with the federal monitor, who has issued numerous critical reports about the controversial lock-up. The Common Sense Caucus is led by Councilman Robert Holden, who compared this tour with his last visit in September 2021.
"Complete turnaround, night and day," Holden said. "There's a great atmosphere in there. So for anyone, any federal monitor, to say that the conditions haven't improved, they're not telling the truth. They're lying."
"I was extremely impressed. The young people are a cornerstone of this environment and to see the way in which they're being handled and the opportunities that are being put forth to them is an absolute uplifting for me and for us to see," Councilwoman Vickie Paladino said.
"They're taking drivers ed. They're playing Ping-Pong. They have video games in there. They're watching movies. They're engaged," Holden added.
READ MORE: Mayor Eric Adams insists he's still the best person to handle the crisis at Rikers Island
The council members' findings are at odds with several recent reports by the federal monitor that paint a picture of total chaos, poor facilities and dysfunction at Rikers.
The new report by monitor Steve Martin, who lives in Oklahoma, documents several upsetting episodes, including:
- A correction officer who stood by as a group of inmates assaulted a man in their unit
- Detainees who were inexplicably pepper sprayed during an unofficial hostage drill
The Legal Aid Society, the Manhattan U.S. Attorney and several other advocates want a federal judge to put Rikers in receivership, saying things have been bad for years and time is running out, adding someone else need to fix the jails.
READ MORE: Rikers Island still not in compliance with several court orders, federal monitor reports
The monitor wants the city held in contempt for not fixing the jails.
"The idea of outsourcing our government obligations is weak. It shouldn't be done," Councilman Kalman Yeger said.
"The federal government may not come in and take over Rikers Island. This is us. This is the city. You have seen what the federal government has done to to other things, that they have come in and tried to muscle their way in. No to the federal government takeover," Paladino said.
"I'm totally against this federal receivership," Councilman Ari Kagan added.
A spokesperson for City Hall sent CBS New York the following statement:
"Mayor Adams has dedicated much of his career to advocating for real change on Rikers Island, and since taking office, our efforts have led to significant improvements. While much more remains to be done, the numbers speak loudly — double digit reductions in slashing and stabbings, assaults on staff, injuries to people in custody, serious use-of-force incidents, drug recoveries, and absenteeism. We take our obligation to keep people placed in our charge safe very seriously, and our administration remains committed to continued reform and working with the monitor. The record will reflect the important and necessary steps the city has taken to make continued progress."
A federal court hearing on receivership will be held on Thursday. Some argue the city has been hamstrung by rules governing capital expenditures. It apparently cannot spend capital dollars on projects unless they will last for five years. Rikers is scheduled to close in 2027.
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