Eight years after entering into a historic agreement with New York City to force reforms at Rikers Island, the federal government has effectively declared the multi-million effort a failure as Damian Williams, U.S. Attorney in Manhattan, said Monday that he will seek to have the jails system taken over by the federal government.

If approved by a federal judge, such a takeover would involve the installation of a federal receiver who would wrest decision-making powers from Mayor Eric Adams’ administration and possibly scrap union agreements and other long-standing work rules. The announcement comes two days after the death of William Johnstone, the 25th person to die in city custody or shortly after being released since Adams came into office last year.

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