"Rikers is an emergency environment, one in which the humanity and health of everyone inside are being disregarded. I was shaken during yesterday's tour, and I am scared for the well-being of everyone who lives or works on Rikers. Corrections staff and incarcerated people alike are in constant, imminent danger. It is a humanitarian crisis rapidly descending toward even greater disaster.
"I implore the Mayor and the Governor to go to Rikers today, immediately. See what I saw, hear what I heard, and you will know the moral, human obligation using every tool available to provide disaster relief. It will not be easy - but any hesitation by leadership to act now amounts to responsibility for the consequences of inaction.
"The Governor must sign the Less is More Act, and put it into effect immediately. On the city level, low-level offenders should be granted supervised release, early and compassionate release options should be exercised, and technical parole violations should not be grounds for incarceration. Court proceedings must be accelerated, and alternatives to incarceration should be the priority. The Department of Correction must engage in stabilization efforts to show staff the city is invested in their safety and security. Staff must return to work.
"The warnings were repeated for a long time, and they were downplayed or ignored. Now, we must simultaneously move to get more staff back onto the island and more incarcerated people off of it."
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