The city has three years to close Rikers – can it be done?

The city has three years to close Rikers – can it be done?

As the three-year countdown to the closure of the jails on Rikers Island begins this week, major questions remain about whether or not the city will – or even can – meet the August 2027 deadline to shutter the notorious complex.

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City expands commission to close Rikers: Lippman Commission grows as mayor’s position on jail’s closure shifts

City expands commission to close Rikers: Lippman Commission grows as mayor’s position on jail’s closure shifts

Over three dozen people have officially been appointed to serve on the second iteration of the Independent Rikers Commission, the group that has again been tasked with mapping a plan to shutter Rikers Island’s jail complex.

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Four year countdown to Rikers’ closure begins

Four year countdown to Rikers’ closure begins

Four years – as of Thursday, that’s exactly how long the city has to close its notorious jail complex on Rikers Island. Whether or not that deadline of Aug. 31, 2027 can be met by the city is another question entirely, and one whose answer is becoming increasingly unclear.

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Detainee diagnosed with cancer dies in DOC custody

Detainee diagnosed with cancer dies in DOC custody

Ricky Howell, 60, died in Bellevue Hospital of a terminal illness on Thursday, July 6, only a couple of days after 40-year-old man became the fourth Rikers detainee to die this year. 

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