The Department of Correction (DOC) and NYC Health + Hospitals opened a new transitional service center on Rikers Island on July 13.
Photo by Dean Moses
The Department of Correction (DOC) and NYC Health + Hospitals opened a new transitional service center on Rikers Island on Thursday as the penal facility continues to face harsh criticism from the independent monitor.
Mayor Eric Adams, DOC Commissioner Louis Molina, and staff from the new service center cut the ribbon on what the mayor promised would help give those leaving custody a chance when reentering society. The station will provide incarcerated individuals with a bag of supplies, including a metro card, and a free phone—with a year of service—with the aim of helping them make a smooth transition.
“You hear all of these things about this place called Rikers Island, and it is really overshadowing what is happening every day,” Adams said. “This combination of people on the ground, who are watching what was needed, and saying, ‘Hey, let’s talk to our administrators and come together and let’s fill this gap.’”
The unveiling of the new service comes following a number of safety concerns on the penal island with advocates going as far to call it a death camp, given that five people have died there in 2023 alone. Although DOC Commissioner Molina told amNewYork Metro in an interview last month that he believes his correctional officers did everything they could for the five inmates, the independent monitor disagreed, stating that DOC should be held in contempt.
“Well, I don’t agree with that position. Our partners at the law department will be making our case to the court that all the work that we’ve done to make a real, real difference, a difference that was not made between the years of 2016 to 2021,” Molina said.
According to the federal monitor’s report, there were several incidents–showcased with images from surveillance footage–where correctional officers were…
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