Federal Judge Laura Swain in Manhattan issued a major ruling on Tuesday that takes control of New York City’s troubled jail system, including Rikers Island, away from the city. The judge made this decision because the city has repeatedly failed to fix dangerous and unsafe conditions, even after a ten-year legal battle.
According to Reuters, the 77-page ruling states that the city is in contempt of court for not following a 2015 settlement agreement, known as the Nunez case, which was supposed to reduce violence in the jails. The judge’s order places a federal receiver, called an “independent manager,” in charge of the city’s jail system for three years to improve safety.
