Filed Under Rikers Timeline
1996: Courts Remove Protections for Detainees’ Rights
for Detainees’ Rights In response to pleas from the Giuliani administration, a federal judge limits court oversight of jails by eliminating protections established two decades before. According to John Boston, of Legal Aid, the decision undoes “years of work aimed at ensuring the humane treatment of inmates in city jails.” Conditions inside will now be overseen by an administration whose “broken windows” policing puts a strain on courts and jails. Giuliani’s “tough on crime” platform, coupled with a disinvestment in programming, social services, and treatment for mental health and addiction, lead many to declare this the “worst time to be on Rikers Island.” Creator: This timeline is a collaboration between visual artist Isaac Scott and historian Dr. Shana Russell. Date: 1996
In response to pleas from the Giuliani administration, a federal judge limits court oversight of jails by eliminating protections established two decades before. According to John Boston, of Legal Aid, the decision undoes “years of work aimed at ensuring the humane treatment of inmates in city jails.” Conditions inside will now be overseen by an administration whose “broken windows” policing puts a strain on courts and jails. Giuliani’s “tough on crime” platform, coupled with a disinvestment in programming, social services, and treatment for mental health and addiction, lead many to declare this the “worst time to be on Rikers Island.”