MOHAMED FARGHALY
mfarghaly@queensledger.com
A federal judge has stripped New York City of its authority over Rikers Island, ordering the appointment of a court-controlled “remediation manager” to take over operations at the notorious jail complex after years of what she described as “extraordinarily high” levels of violence and systemic dysfunction.
U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain issued the landmark ruling on May 13, citing the city’s failure to implement mandated reforms despite nearly a decade of federal oversight. The decision effectively removes control of Rikers from the city’s Department of Correction and gives sweeping powers to a yet-to-be-named independent official who will report directly to the court.
The ruling comes after years of escalating violence, misuse of force by correction officers, and in-custody deaths that watchdogs and federal monitors say have worsened since the city agreed to a federal consent judgment in 2015. That agreement was the result of a class-action lawsuit, Nunez v. City of New York, which alleged a pattern of excessive force and inhumane treatment in violation of the U.S. Constitution.
Swain’s decision to appoint a remediation manager follows her November 2024 ruling that held the city in civil contempt on 18 separate counts related to its handling of Rikers. The judge said that repeated violations and “foundational” failures within the Department of Correction rendered further court orders futile without a drastic change in oversight.
The new court-appointed official will wield significant authority, including the power to revise internal jail policies, make hiring and disciplinary decisions, and oversee training and safety protocols. Parties in the case must submit recommendations for the role by August 29.
Council Member Keith Powers released the following statement following the decision by a federal judge to place Rikers Island under the control of a remediation manager:
“For years, Rikers Island has been in a state of emergency. Inmates are forced to live in inhumane conditions, without proper nutrition or medical care, and the situation has become so dire that there has been a steady stream of deaths at the jail – over 100 in the last decade. As one of the first elected officials to call for receivership of Rikers Island, I am relieved that Judge Swain has ordered this change today. The decision to place the jail under the supervision of a remediation manager is a crucial step in the right direction.”
Rikers Island, which houses roughly 6,000 detainees—most of whom are awaiting trial—has long been criticized for its violent environment and lack of mental health support. Roughly 20% of the jail population has been diagnosed with serious mental illness, according to a 2023 report from the city comptroller.
Since 2022, at least 33 people have died in custody at Rikers. In 2023 alone, there were 6,784 use-of-force incidents—a sharp increase from 4,652 in 2016. Federal monitors have raised concerns about unreliable record-keeping and underreporting of violent incidents, including stabbings and sexual assaults.
“Seventy percent of our inmate population is facing violent felony charges,” said Benny Boscio, president of the Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association. “That same population is driving the hundreds of assaults on our officers, including sexual assaults, as well as inmate on inmate attacks, which requires necessary, not excessive force, to keep everyone in our jails safe. Outsourcing control of Rikers Island to a federal receiver will not be a silver bullet and will not solve any of these problems. Giving correction officers the manpower and resources to enforce law and order in our jails will.”
Meanwhile, reforms that have been implemented often falter. Body cameras issued to officers in 2020 were recalled in 2024 due to safety concerns and have yet to be reissued. City Council hearings last fall revealed widespread failures in implementing recommended reforms and highlighted disturbing testimony from formerly incarcerated women about long-standing sexual abuse by staff.
Speaker Adrienne Adams released the following statement on the Federal Court Order to Appoint Independent Official Control over Rikers Island Jails.
“Under Mayor Adams’ administration, staff and those incarcerated at Rikers have suffered from an increase in violence and worsening humanitarian conditions, leading to dozens of New Yorkers dying on the island. The federal court’s decision to appoint a remediation manager to oversee changes on Rikers reflects the mayoral administration’s failure to adhere to the Nunez Court Orders and convince the court of meaningful progress to make the jails safer. While this intervention presents a crucial opportunity to bring lasting change to our jail system, the next steps must advance the closure of Rikers and transition to more effective borough-based jails as the solutions for a safer jail system and city.”
The judge’s order raises further questions about the feasibility of the city’s plan to shut down Rikers entirely. In 2019, lawmakers committed to closing the complex by 2026, later pushing the target to 2027. Construction delays and resistance from local communities have cast doubt on the timeline.
Despite those delays, Adams’ administration insists the city remains committed to the closure plan, which would replace Rikers with four smaller, borough-based jails. But Swain’s ruling underscores skepticism that the city is capable of achieving that goal without outside intervention.
Judge Swain’s ruling may be one of the most sweeping federal interventions in a local jail system in recent memory. It reflects years of failed reforms, mounting legal pressure, and a growing consensus among civil rights advocates that the city can no longer police itself.
The next step in the process is the appointment of the remediation manager—a decision that could determine the future of the New York City jail.
