Federal judge appoints former Vermont DOC boss to take over Rikers Island

Federal judge appoints former Vermont DOC boss to take over Rikers Island

After more than a decade of failed reforms, mounting deaths, and repeated warnings from the courts, a federal judge on Tuesday took the extraordinary step of wresting control of New York City’s jail system from City Hall, appointing a former CIA agent and correctional expert to assume sweeping authority over Rikers Island and the Department of Correction.

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Public advocate and comptroller call for federal receivership after Rikers tour

Public advocate and comptroller call for federal receivership after Rikers tour

Two top city officials took a trip to Rikers Island on Wednesday following a troubling month in the jail complex. And while they said conditions there were far less chaotic than they have been in recent years, they still feel a judge should strip control of Rikers Island away from the city.

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