James Williams

James Williams was born in the Brownsville neighborhood of Brooklyn. He served almost three years at Rikers in the late 1980s. He remembers gangs being less prevalent at Rikers then, though people from the same boroughs stuck together. During his time at Rikers, incarcerated people were allowed to wear their civilian clothes but would have to change into a jumpsuit during visits. At Rikers, Williams worked the suicide watch, going cell to cell and intervening if a person was attempting to harm themselves. He later served time in state prison. Nicknamed "Tall E," Williams now works at Exodus Transitional Community, a re-entry organization in New York City. (Summary written by: Annie Anderson)