Rikers Island fire exposes serious mismanagement, report finds

December 27, 2023 Robert Abruzzese, Courthouse Editor

This Rikers Island report's release coincides with the City Council passing a bill to ban solitary confinement in city jails, a move opposed by Mayor Eric Adams but supported by a veto-proof majority in the Council.
Photo: Seth Wenig/AP

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A recent fire at Rikers Island’s North Infirmary Command building has brought to light severe management issues within the New York City Department of Correction (DOC), according to a new report by the city’s Board of Correction (BOC).

The fire, which occurred on April 6, 2023, resulted in hospitalization for nine correction officers and four detainees.

The BOC, a watchdog board overseeing the DOC, found multiple failures in the department’s adherence to safety protocols and procedures. Notably, the report highlighted that the building’s sprinkler system had been shut off sometime between April 1 and the day of the fire, a disturbing revelation considering that DOC records failed to indicate when or why this critical safety measure was disabled.

Adding to the concern, the North Infirmary Command staff had not conducted the required weekly or monthly fire audits, a clear violation of State Commission of Correction standards. Furthermore, no officer had performed a necessary tour of the housing area in the hours leading up to the fire, as directed by a captain.

The fire, which was ignited by a 38-year-old detainee, Marvens Thomas, who had been held in solitary confinement for 584 consecutive days, spread quickly through the jail. It took officers a concerning 27 minutes to evacuate detainees from their cells, which were filling with smoke.

In response to these findings, the BOC has issued a dozen recommendations for policy and practice changes within the DOC. The report’s release comes amidst discussions of Rikers Island potentially being taken over by a court-appointed authority due to ongoing management issues.

The Legal Aid Society has expressed serious concerns about the DOC’s capability to manage the jail complex, citing the report as evidence of “egregious mismanagement.” They have also questioned the recent promotion of former DOC Commissioner Louis Molina, who served as DOC head during the time of the fire, to Assistant Deputy Mayor for Public Safety.

Federal Judge Laura Swain, who is considering a federal takeover of Rikers Island, held the DOC in contempt of court for opening a segregated housing unit without consulting the federal monitoring team. The incident involving the secretive opening of a new restrictive housing unit, despite assurances to the monitor, has been labeled as “preposterous” by Swain.

Judge Swain has ordered the DOC to improve communication with the monitoring team and develop better metrics to evaluate jail conditions. She warned of imposing heavy fines if the city fails to comply with her orders.

This report’s release coincides with the City Council passing a bill to ban solitary confinement in city jails, a move opposed by Mayor Eric Adams but supported by a veto-proof majority in the Council.