The article emphasizes that candidates in the New York mayoral election must prioritize closing Rikers Island to demonstrate their commitment to safety and justice. Rikers is described as a harmful facility that maintains violence and detains innocent individuals, particularly affecting those with less financial means. With its exorbitant cost of $2.8 billion annually, resources could be redirected toward community needs such as housing and healthcare. Additionally, it highlights that incarceration at Rikers exacerbates social issues, increasing the likelihood of re-arrest for those detained.
It's clear that New Yorkers want safety, and it will be important in this year's mayoral election. But how can we tell which candidates are serious about safety, and which ones care more about stoking our fears than investing in what works?
Rikers Island is a violence incubator that detains legally innocent people largely on the basis of wealth. If that sounds exaggerated, consider that Anthony Martin Jr., a correction officer, is at liberty while he faces charges of raping a woman in Queens.
Rikers also wastes tremendous resources- over $2.8 billion dollars a year -that we desperately need for housing, healthcare, education, and other resources that strengthen our communities.
Being detained at Rikers actually increases the likelihood that a person will be re-arrested. On average, 33 percent of people released from Rikers return within one year.
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