Rikers Absenteeism Problem Goes Right To The Top: US Attorney

NEW YORK CITY — Rikers Island leaders ditched meetings meant to solve a raging humanitarian crisis worsened by mass absenteeism at the jail, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams contends.

Frustration over the lack of action at Rikers Island brims from a letter penned by Williams, who threatened this week to push for a court-appointed receiver to take control.

"The jails are in a state of crisis," Williams wrote. "Inmates and staff are being seriously injured, and action is desperately needed now."

Among Williams' complaints is the allegation that top jail officials skipped April 5 and April 14 meetings with the feds.

"Neither the Commissioner nor any Department operational staff attended either meeting," the letter states. "We are scheduled to meet again this Thursday."

Williams asked a judge to direct Correction Commissioner Louis Molina and a mayor's office representative to attend that Thursday meeting.

A Department of Correction spokesperson told Patch they're reviewing the letter and will respond "accordingly."

“We remain deeply committed to the idea of reform and to working with all stakeholders to improve conditions," the spokesperson wrote in an email.

"We take the Monitor’s and U.S. Attorney’s concerns seriously and are working hard to address their concerns."

Currently, Rikers facility is under the watch of a federal monitor group — that has pushed a laundry list of reforms to address violence and staff absenteeism, dysfunction and mismanagement — and which Williams contends has done little to improve conditions.

Williams argued city Correction officials have embraced recommendations by the federal monitor but repeatedly fail to provide specifics as to how they'll carry them out.

The U.S. Attorney threatened to pursue greater federal control.

“We will be left with no other option but to seek more aggressive relief," Williams wrote, "which could involve seeking the appointment of a receiver with independent authority to implement sweeping reforms.”

Problems on Rikers Island have been documented in a spate of federal monitor reports and a City Council hearing that spurred city officials to characterize conditions as a humanitarian crisis.

"This city has failed every single person who is detained and works on Rikers Island," Williams testified in September.

"And let's remember most of the folks on there have not been found guilty of something - even if they have, they shouldn't be treated this way."