Brooklyn advocacy group holds forum on potential shuttering of Rikers Island

The question of what will happen if Rikers Island closes was the point of discussion at a community forum in Fort Greene Wednesday.

News 12 Staff

Mar 21, 2019, 2:33 AM

Updated 1,870 days ago

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Brooklyn advocacy group holds forum on potential shuttering of Rikers Island
The question of what will happen if Rikers Island closes was the point of discussion at a community forum in Fort Greene Wednesday.
The plan is to shutter the controversial facility in favor of four smaller detention centers -- including one in Brooklyn. The advocacy group JustLeadershipUSA held the forum to share their vision on how to get to that point, and what it'll look like.
Panelists included community leaders who were formerly jailed at Rikers, and know firsthand the conditions there. They are pushing for detention centers that are not stigmatized and more connected to the communities in which they reside.
Those involved say that starts with investing more in things like public health, education and housing, and less on policing. Engaging the community is key in achieving their vision.
The mayor's plan would close Rikers by 2027, 10 years after his initial announcement. Activists want that timeline sped up to as early as 2024.


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