A federal judge in Manhattan has found New York City in contempt over the deteriorating conditions in its city jails, stating that conditions have worsened since a settlement was reached nine years ago regarding accusations of abuse and violence. The ruling by Judge Laura Taylor Swain addressed 18 separate contempt claims, highlighting ongoing issues within the city's Department of Correction.
The litigation, initiated in 2012 by the Legal Aid Society and others, alleged a pattern of excessive and unnecessary force within city jails. Despite a settlement and consent decree in 2015, Judge Swain noted that conditions have not improved over the past decade.
