Contemplate this a 413-acre island with a complex history. It is Rikers Island. Once a landfill, it is now New York City’s largest jail.
Rikers Island sits in the East River in the Bronx. Abraham Rycken, a Dutch settler, gives the island its name. He took possession of it in 1664. The island started as less than 100 acres. Convict labor expanded it with ashes for landfill. Today, it spans over 400 acres.
Politically, Rikers Island is part of the Bronx. Access is only available from Queens via a bridge. The island’s address uses an East Elmhurst, Queens, ZIP code.
Rikers Island is one of the world’s largest correctional and mental institutions. Some describe it as New York’s best-known jail. The New York City Department of Correction operates the complex. In 2015, its budget was $860 million a year. It employed 9,000 civilian officers and 1,500 other civilians. That year, it managed 100,000 admissions. The average daily population was 10,000 inmates.
Most detainees on Rikers Island are awaiting trial. They are either held on bail or in custody. The rest are serving short sentences. A 2021 analysis says it costs the city about $556,539 per person per year at Rikers Island.
Rikers Island has a reputation for violence. It also is known for physical and mental abuse. Neglect of inmates is common. This has led to many rulings against New York City. Inmates often assault officers and other staff. These assaults often cause serious injuries. Mother Jones magazine ranked Rikers Island as one of the ten worst correctional facilities in the U.S. in 2013. Violence increased in the 2010s. There were 9,424 assaults in 2015. This was the highest number in five years. The New York City Council voted in 2019 to close the facility by 2026.
The Rikers Island complex holds local offenders. These offenders are awaiting trial. They are serving sentences of one year or less. They are temporarily placed there for transfer. Rikers Island is not a prison. Prisons hold offenders serving longer sentences. It holds 10 of the Correction Department’s 15 facilities. It can hold up to 15,000 detainees.
Facilities on Rikers Island include the Robert N. Davoren Complex. It houses mostly male inmates ages 18 to 21. The Eric M. Taylor Center holds sentenced male adolescents and adults. The Otis Bantum Correctional Center holds detained male adults. Other facilities are the George R. Vierno Center and the Anna M. Kross Center. The George Motchan Detention Center and the Rose M. Singer Center also operate there. The North Infirmary Command houses inmates needing medical attention. The West Facility houses inmates with contagious diseases.
The average daily inmate population is about 10,000. It can hold a maximum of 15,000. The daytime population can reach 20,000. This includes prisoners, staff, and visitors.
The only road access is from Queens. It goes over the Francis Buono Bridge. Mayor John Lindsay dedicated it in 1966. Before the bridge, ferries were the only access. The Q100 bus route also provides transportation. Private shuttles connect the parking lot to the island.
The North Infirmary Command houses inmates needing protective custody. It also houses those with special health needs. Mentally ill inmates and those in drug detoxification stay there. The rest of the facilities make up this city of jails. There is also the Vernon C. Bain Correctional Center. It is a floating barge. Additionally, there are schools, medical clinics, and ball fields. Chapels, gyms, drug rehab programs exist, too. Grocery stores, barbershops, a bakery, and a laundromat are on site. A power plant, track, tailor shop, and print shop also exist. There is a bus depot and a car wash. It also contains a large composting facility.
Some call Rikers Island the world’s largest penal colony. In contrast, Europe’s largest correctional facility is Marmara Prison. It sits on 256 acres and houses 10,904 prisoners.