The legislation comes from recommendations put forward by the Independent Rikers Commission to advance the closure of Rikers Island
City Hall, NY – Today, the New York City Council voted to pass legislation that would provide technology for people in custody to review their case materials, require clinical assessments of people in custody upon request, and mandate the establishment of a mayoral office solely dedicated to the permanent closure of Rikers Island and transition to the borough based-jail system. Together, the bills passed by the Council today will advance the plan to close Rikers by reducing court case delays that have inflated the jail population, allowing the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice (MOCJ) to better understand the needs of people in custody and help them access appropriate programming, and improving the coordination between mayoral agencies and offices focused on the closure of Rikers. These legislative solutions were first recommended in the Independent Rikers Commission’s The Blueprint to Close Rikers and later identified by the Council as steps that the City must immediately take.
“Permanently closing Rikers Island and ending the humanitarian crisis that endangers staff and detained people have been a top priority for this Council,” said Speaker Adrienne Adams. “The continued [FB1] deaths and horrific conditions in city jails underscore the urgency that city government must act. With the passage of today’s bills, the Council is once again demonstrating our steadfast commitment to advance the closure of Rikers and improve the health and safety of all New Yorkers.”
The bills that were passed include:
Introduction 1238-A, sponsored by Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez, would require the Department of Correction (DOC) to ensure all persons in custody with a pending criminal proceeding have the technology necessary to securely receive and review case evidence via a department-issued tablet or through access provided in the law library.
Introduction 1240-A, sponsored by Council Member Rita Joseph, would require the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice (MOCJ), upon request of a person in custody or their attorney, to conduct a holistic needs assessment when one is required for acceptance into a court-based alternative to incarceration program. These clinical assessments will include information on a person’s mental health, physical health, intellectual disabilities, history of trauma, and other psychosocial conditions or circumstances at the time of a person’s arrest.
Introduction 1242-A, sponsored by Council Member Sandy Nurse, would require the establishment of an Office of Coordinator for Rikers Island Closure with a full-time coordinator. This new office will be responsible for coordinating actions and policies by agencies with a role in the closure of Rikers Island, including those with duties related to jail population reduction, design and construction of the borough-based jails, design and construction of outposted therapeutic housing units, correctional workforce development, and planning for the future use of Rikers Island for environmental sustainability and resiliency purposes. This bill also requires the establishment of Coordinator for Borough-Based Jail Transition within DOC.
This latest legislative action builds upon the Council’s efforts that secured over $50 million of expanded mental health and safety investments in the City’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 budget to create additional units of Justice-Involved Supportive Housing (JISH), expand mental health mobile treatment teams and establish step-down programs that reduce waitlists, and restore cuts to Alternatives to Incarceration and reentry programming. The Council also previously passed Introduction 1100-A, which would adjust the eligibility requirements for city-funded supportive housing to include time spent in incarceration as being homeless.
“Forty five people have died in our city jails under Mayor Adams’ watch while his administration has made little progress to close Rikers,” said Council Member Sandy Nurse, chair of the Committee on Criminal Justice. “My bill, Int. 1242-A, will finally establish an office solely focused on transitioning away from Rikers to the borough-based jails plan and create an interagency working group that consistently works towards that goal. Today’s passage also moves us towards realizing the vision for a Renewable Rikers Island that will contribute to our city’s environmental sustainability.”
“Too often, people in custody are overlooked for the support they need to turn their lives around,” said Council Member Rita Joseph. “By requiring holistic needs assessments, we ensure that individuals are seen as more than just their charges; they are people with health needs, histories of trauma, and unique circumstances that deserve to be recognized and supported. This legislation strengthens our court-based alternative to incarceration programs, breaks the cycle of harm, and creates real pathways to healing and rehabilitation.”
“Today’s vote is a step forward for fairness and due process in New York City,” said Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez. “Too often, people in custody face immense barriers to accessing the evidence that will determine their future. Int. 1238 ensures every New Yorker — regardless of incarceration status — has the tools to fully participate in their own defense, while maintaining safety and security in our facilities.”
“Rikers hurts crime victims, public safety, and everyone working and incarcerated there,” said Jonathan Lippman, former Chief Judge of the State of New York and chair of the Independent Rikers Commission. “Closing it – as required by law – demands true leadership like that demonstrated by the City Council. The bills passed today, rooted in the Independent Rikers Commission’s Blueprint to Close Rikers, will lock in the next Mayor’s full attention on closing Rikers, get people with serious mental illness and addiction the treatment they need, and help stop criminal cases from dragging on. Just good, smart, common-sense.”
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