Rikers, Bail Reform and COVID-19
Rikers Island is facing an acute, serious health crisis with COVID-19. Talks of rollbacks to the bail reform are not only unjust, but unsafe as hundreds of individuals are and would be continuously held in unsafe facilities.
Here is a link to list and ask to continue to call on state legislators to not roll back the important bail reforms passed last year
There are 14.5 infections per 1,000 inmates in city jails compared with about 2 per 1,000 people in New York City, which has more than 16,700 cases.
“COVID-19 is spreading rapidly at Rikers Island and other local jails, endangering our clients, correction staff and all of New York City,” said Tina Luongo of the The Legal Aid Society in a news release. “Based on this analysis, New York City jails have become the epicenter of COVID-19.”
From - NY Post
Six hundred and sixty-six people are in Rikers due to a technical parole violation—including missing curfew, testing positive for drugs, or missing meetings. Another 811 were arrested for a new crime that would have likely been processed as a misdemeanor but was remanded due to their status as parolees.From - Slate