How to End the Crises on Rikers Island

Join us on Thursday, 10/13 at 12:30 pm for a virtual forum on How to End the Crises on Rikers Island. For seven years, a federal judge and monitor have tried to implement the terms of a consent decree intended to address unconstitutional levels of violence. Since then, violence has skyrocketed. In March, the monitor issued a report questioning whether the DOC had either the capacity or the will to improve conditions.

Ahead of the November court conference where the City’s progress will be assessed, this event will examine the central issues causing the jails' dysfunction and what power is required to adequately address these issues, followed by a discussion of how data can help identify whether conditions are improving or deteriorating.

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Opening remarks by NYC Comptroller Brad Lander.

Panel speakers & moderators include:

Panel 1: What is causing the dysfunction at Rikers and who can solve it?
Errol Louis, Host, Inside City Hall (moderator)
Michael Jacobson, former Commissioner, NYC Departments of Correction and Probation
Robert Linn, former Commissioner of the NYC Office of Labor Relations
Darren Mack, Co-Director, Freedom Agenda
Sarena Townsend, former Deputy Commissioner of the Intelligence, Investigation & Trials Division at NYC Department of Correction

Panel 2: How can data help improve conditions and hold the city accountable?
Matt Katz, WNYC News (moderator)
Martha King, former executive director at NYC Board of Correction
Freya Rigterink, Member, NYC Board of Correction
David Rankin, partner at Beldock Levine & Hoffman, LLP
Gipsy Escobar, Measures for Justice
Liz Glazer, Vital City; former Director, Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice
Vincent Schiraldi, Columbia Justice Lab/School of Social Work; former Commissioner, NYC Departments of Correction and Probation

This forum is co-hosted by Columbia Justice Lab, Vital City, Columbia Law School, Columbia School of Social Work, CUNY Institute for State and Local Governance, Campaign Zero