More than 40,000 311 calls from Rikers go into a black hole every year
April 1, 2026
Detainees and families dial 311 to report freezing cells, hallucinations and denied medical care, but many go overlooked.
Detainees and families dial 311 to report freezing cells, hallucinations and denied medical care, but many go overlooked.
A federal monitor says violence, deaths and officer misconduct persist at Rikers, as a judge moves closer to appointing a receiver.
NYC probes over 50 NYPD in-custody deaths since 2023. Advocates demand reforms, citing preventable tragedies and systemic failures.
The NYC DOC is being sued for illegally confining Rikers inmates, including disabled people, in solitary without proper medical care.
A judge extended limits on ICE detentions at 26 Federal Plaza, citing overcrowding and inhumane conditions while ordering humane standards.
Public defenders say Rikers blocks access to lawyers with long delays, poor conditions and unsafe practices, violating constitutional rights.
Carlos Cruz, 43, became the 12th person to die in NYC jails this year, found unresponsive at Rikers while awaiting transfer to state prison.
Jimmy Avila, 44, died on Rikers after under 24 hours in custody. Advocates call for an immediate, independent investigation into his death.
Two Rikers officers were slashed by a violent detainee, highlighting jail safety challenges and handling of high-risk inmates.
Three Rikers officers were suspended after inmate Ardit Billa was found dead, sparking calls for investigation and jail reform.
Rikers detainee Ardit Billa, 29, died in his cell. Three DOC staff were suspended as his death is under investigation.
Advocates demand answers after 29-year-old Ardit Billa died at Rikers, calling his death a tragic reminder of the jail’s ongoing crisis.
Over 100 groups urged NY to expand clemency and parole reforms, citing prison brutality, neglect, overcrowding and rising deaths in custody.
Legal Aid and NYU Law filed a class action over delays in mental health treatment that leave people unfit for trial languishing at Rikers.
A new bill would require health clinics in courthouses after two detainees died in holding cells this year.
Former federal officer Najee Jackson pleaded guilty to attempting to smuggle marijuana and cigarettes into Brooklyn’s MDC prison.
A terminally ill detainee died in NYCDOC custody a day after his lawyer sought release. He was the 8th death in custody this year.
Two men died on Rikers Island Friday, raising 2025’s death toll to seven and intensifying scrutiny of the jail’s dangerous conditions.
Family of Messiah Nantwi sues DOCCS, alleging fatal beating, cover-up and systemic abuse at Mid-State Correctional Facility.
A judge ordered Rikers into receivership, citing ongoing violence. A federal monitor sees some progress, but deep reforms are still needed.
When Justice Matthew D’Emic walks into a room in Bay Ridge, it’s not just his judicial robes people think of, it’s also his guitar.
A judge stripped NYC of control over Rikers, ruling City Hall can’t be trusted to curb the violence plaguing the jail for decades.
The mayor’s office and the City Council remained in a standoff over the closure of Rikers Island on Wednesday.
Detainees on Rikers Island have continued to struggle to get access to the jail complex’s law libraries, a new report found.
A prosecutor made offers to resolve criminal cases against 10 New York prison guards indicted in the beating to death of a handcuffed man.
The city’s jail watchdog board bashed Department of Correction leadership after the agency failed to tell them about a new housing unit.
Federal agencies converged on Brooklyn’s MDC, conducting a coordinated raid aimed at persistent security issues and dangerous conditions.
Brooklyn Defender Services issued a statement on Tuesday that criticized the New York City Department of Correction .
The Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn has stopped accepting inmates, marking a significant shift in policy.
Family members of Charizma Jones, advocates, and elected officials gathered at Foley Square to rally against the ongoing crisis in NYC jails.
The New York City Department of Corrections (DOC) has found itself at the heart of a growing controversy following a significant policy change: the decision to cease notifying the press
Software developer for Brooklyn DA is arrested A software developer for the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office was arrested Monday after he was caught by cops waving a gun, according to
Jason Echevarria died in 2012 after eating chemical detergent when Rikers Island correction officers declined to get him medical help. Carina Montes and Jose Cruz committed suicide in 2003, even