Bronx lawmakers inspect Horizon Juvenile Center following reports of violence and overcrowding
Bronx state lawmakers toured the Horizon Juvenile Center Monday, saying they wanted to see conditions inside the facility firsthand following recent reports of violence, overcrowding and other safety concerns.
More Stories
Bronx state lawmakers toured the Horizon Juvenile Center Monday, saying they wanted to see conditions inside the facility firsthand following recent reports of violence, overcrowding and other safety concerns.
Lawmakers pointed to overcrowding as one of the biggest issues during the visit, saying the facility was built to house 121 young people but is currently holding more than 150.
The inspection comes about a month after a riot inside the juvenile detention center sent about a dozen people to the hospital.
State Assembly Member Amanda Septimo echoed this sentiment.
"I think we're reaching a high water mark. This is a level of violence that we haven't seen in years. But again, there have been ongoing allegations of sexual assault, of contraband being brought in of isolated, smaller, insulated incidences of violence. But together, it paints a picture of an institution that needs more support," Septimo said.
Lawmakers say they are pushing the city to expand capacity, improve staffing and increase resources at the facility.
When asked when families could expect to see changes, lawmakers said they did not receive a clear timeline from city officials.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani also addressed the situation Monday at an unrelated event.
"This has been a focus of a number of our conversations internally. Is how to ensure that we are delivering not only safety but also adherence when it comes to Horizons. And yes, I will be visiting Horizons at some point. However, we're not going to be waiting for my visit to take action, and that's going to be something we're following up on," Mamdani said.
Lawmakers say they plan to continue visiting the center over the coming weeks as they work toward long-term solutions.
