Neil Barsky, chairman and founder of The Marshall Project, argues that despite recent reforms at Rikers, the only way to fix what he calls "New York's cesspool of a jail complex" is to "destroy" it. He offers an outline for how this could be funded and where the jail's 10,000 inhabitants could go.
Here's @nsbarsky's @nytimes op-ed on why it's time to shutter #RikersIsland: http://t.co/N3cHYyiPhC
— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) July 21, 2015
.@nsbarsky: Rikers has become a mental institution/rehab. "The only real long-term solution is to shut it down." pic.twitter.com/84MJ9wAvVj
— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) July 21, 2015
@BrianLehrer funny how the city will shut down a failing public school or restaurant for failing inspection....what has to happen at a jail?
— Julie Raimondi (@JulieRaimondi) July 21, 2015
Listeners: your thoughts on shutting down #RikersIsland and instead having separate prison facilities in different boroughs? 212-433-9692.
— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) July 21, 2015
The US has 2.25 million ppl in prison. @nsbarsky calls Americans "an unsympathetic population," says fear trumps most other feelings.
— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) July 21, 2015