Queens 3rd Congressional District candidate and former NYPD detective Michael Sapraicone discussed why he believes Rikers Island should remain open, despite plans for New York City to close the prison in the near future. He believes the conditions within the prison need to be improved, including how the incarcerated there are treated.
Sapraicone said that it would be very difficult for the city to find somewhere else to house all the inmates at Rikers should it close down. He also believes the overcrowding in prisons that would result from this could lead to more dangerous individuals being allowed back on the streets.
