NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- New York Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ritchie Torres and Carolyn B. Maloney toured Rikers Island Tuesday amid plenty of turmoil at the city prison complex.
The three Democrats visited the island and spoke with Rikers officials about the facility’s current state.
They also called on the city to address Rikers’ “inhumane conditions.”
“Today, we saw firsthand the horrific conditions that individuals incarcerated on Rikers Island are living under and the support staff and corrections officers are working under. It is inexcusable that the number of in-custody deaths on Rikers Island has more than quadrupled over the past two years, including five individuals who have died of suspected suicides this year alone,” the trio said in a statement following their tour.
The representatives also pointed to releasing low-level offenders in addressing overcrowding on Rikers Island.
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“To address overcrowding, we can act today by beginning the decarceration process, supporting individuals’ return to their communities, and working with the Courts to reduce pretrial sentencing and to expedite hearings for those currently incarcerated,” said the group.
Under the Less is More Act, signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul, parolees will not be sent back to prison for non-criminal violations of their parole. It also allows people accused of technical violation to bypass automatic jail time in a local prison, and instead they would face a written notice of violation with a date to appear in court.
Nearly 200 inmates were to be released last month from Rikers Island after the reform bill was signed.
Ocasio-Cortez joined Jerry Nadler, Jamaal Bowman and Nydia Velázquez in calling on Mayor Bill de Blasio and Hochul for the release of inmates and closure of Rikers in a letter sent last month.
Adding that Rikers’ “horrific history must come to an end,” the New York reps that visited Rikers this week advocated for ensured medical care on the island.
“The city, state, and federal government must immediately take action to correct the humanitarian crisis on Rikers Island, and provide a safe and clean environment,” the statement continued.
A lawsuit filed last week said Rikers detainees are struggling without access to basic medical care, according to the Legal Aid Society.
Torres said among his takeaways from the tour was the amount of correction officers working there who were women of color, he said in an interview with NY1.
A total of 12 Rikers detainees have died in custody over the past year.
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