A federal judge has stripped New York City of control over Rikers Island jail after nearly a decade of failed reforms, appointing an independent authority to address rampant violence and constitutional violations at the notorious facility.

At a Glance

• Federal Judge Laura Taylor Swain removed control of Rikers Island from NYC, appointing an independent manager after years of failed reforms
• The judge cited the city’s contempt of a 2015 agreement to address brutality and constitutional violations at the facility
• Documented abuses include “fight nights” organized by gang leaders, security lapses, and failures to prevent inmate suicides
• Federal takeovers of jails are rare, occurring fewer than a dozen times in the past 50 years
• Mayor Eric Adams acknowledged “problems at Rikers are decades in the making” and will comply with the court order

Unprecedented Federal Intervention at Rikers Island

Chief U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain has taken the extraordinary step of removing Rikers Island from New York City’s control, rejecting the city’s proposal to appoint its current correction commissioner as compliance director. The decision follows years of documented violence, constitutional violations, and failed reform attempts at the jail complex. In her 77-page ruling, Judge Swain identified non-compliance with 18 court order provisions related to security, staffing, supervision, use of force, and safety of young detainees.

“There is no doubt that these less extreme measures have proven futile,” stated Judge Swain in her ruling, highlighting the severity of the situation that necessitated federal intervention.

This federal takeover represents a rare judicial remedy, with judges seizing control of American jails fewer than a dozen times in the past half-century. The appointed manager will work with the city’s jails commissioner but has ultimate authority to take necessary actions to reform the complex under a proposed three-year timetable. The city technically remains in control for now as the framework for receivership is established.

Disturbing Conditions and Systemic Failures

The monitoring team established under a 2015 settlement agreement has documented alarming security lapses, including a “fight night” organized by gang leaders where inmates were forced to fight for entertainment. Failures to prevent inmate suicides, medical neglect, and inhumane living conditions have persisted despite court orders and oversight. Judge Swain cited these continuing violations as evidence of the city’s contempt for its legal obligations to maintain constitutional conditions.

“Worse still, the unsafe and dangerous conditions in the jails, which are characterized by unprecedented rates of use of force and violence, have become normalized despite the fact that they are clearly abnormal and unacceptable,” wrote Judge Swain in her ruling that found “unconstitutional conditions” persist throughout the facility.

The ruling emphasizes that these abuses violate the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. Monitors have revealed chronic understaffing, inadequate training, and systemic neglect that have created dangerous environments for both inmates and correctional officers. Reports of suspicious deaths, persistent violence, and deplorable living conditions have plagued the facility for years.

Political Response and Future Plans

Mayor Eric Adams acknowledged the court’s decision, stating, “the problems at Rikers are decades in the making” and confirming the city would comply with the ruling. Adams also noted that a 2027 deadline to close Rikers Island has limited the city’s ability to invest in substantial facility improvements. This timeline creates additional challenges for the appointed receiver, who must work to address immediate constitutional violations while preparing for the planned closure.

“For decades, Rikers has represented a systemic failure of multiple mayoral administrations — plagued by violence, neglect, and dangerous and inhumane conditions. While I applaud this decision, I do not view it as a victory; instead, it is a scathing indictment of our city’s failed leadership,” said mayoral candidate Scott Stringer, reflecting the political dimensions of the crisis.

A National Crisis in Correctional Facilities

The Rikers Island takeover highlights broader systemic issues throughout American prisons and jails. Similar constitutional violations have been documented in correctional facilities across Georgia, Mississippi, Texas, and California. A Senate report revealed that the Justice Department undercounted jail and prison deaths by at least 1,000 in a single year, suggesting the scale of neglect is far greater than officially acknowledged.

“Slowly, slowly, slowly, they just let me fall apart,” recounted Elmer Williams, describing his experience with medical neglect in a correctional facility, illustrating the personal toll of these systemic failures.

Advocates for reform have welcomed the court’s intervention, with the Legal Aid Society praising the decision as necessary to protect the constitutional rights of incarcerated individuals. The unprecedented takeover may serve as a warning to other jurisdictions with troubled correctional facilities that federal courts are willing to intervene when local authorities fail to address persistent constitutional violations.