Contentious City Council hearing on Rikers focuses on safety, treatment of women

By Aidan Graham

Posted on June 28, 2022

The City Council’s Committee on Criminal Justice held a hearing Tuesday morning on the conditions inside Rikers Island detention complex, where reformers called for passage of a series of bills aimed at improving conditions inside the notorious detention center.

“Each time a person is placed behind bars, a community’s light is dimmed. Each time a person is placed behind bars, they are deprived of opportunities to pursue education, a career, friendships, family, and their dreams,” said Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, a candidate for governor.