New York's Controversial Skyscraper Jails - Cheddar Explains

New York City is halfway through a multi-year plan to construct four new jails - one each in the boroughs of Manhattan, Brooklyn, The Bronx, and Queens. These jails will, in theory, substantially decrease the overall incarcerated population and allow the city to close the most notorious prison in the United States: Riker’s Island. However, as construction begins under new mayor Eric Adams, many stakeholders question the efficacy and fairness of the plan. Watch the full video to see all the details on these new borough-based jails.
Further reading:
Curbed NY
ny.curbed.com/2019/10/15/2091...
ny.curbed.com/2019/7/9/183077...
NYC Dept. of Design & Construction
rikers.cityofnewyork.us/wp-co...
City of New York
rikers.cityofnewyork.us/brook...
rikers.cityofnewyork.us/queen...
rikers.cityofnewyork.us/bronx...
www1.nyc.gov/office-of-the-ma...
Lippman Commission
static1.squarespace.com/stati...
static1.squarespace.com/stati...
NYS Div. of Criminal Justice Services
www.criminaljustice.ny.gov/cr...
The New York Times
www.nytimes.com/2019/10/17/ny...
timesmachine.nytimes.com/time...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/2...
www.nytimes.com/2021/12/17/ny...
The Village Voice
www.villagevoice.com/2017/04/...
Vice
www.vice.com/en/article/dp59y...
The Guardian
www.theguardian.com/cities/20...
Neighbors United Below Canal
www.nubcnyc.com/plans-whitest
No New Jails
drive.google.com/file/d/1NPW9...
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[@karinshedd7334]

Morning! I produced this video. Pop any questions you have below!

[@pankajparmar1339]

These activists always compare united states agaist European countries, but if you look at broad they are structured differently, like America have what i say "hyper freedom" (im from asia), so sometimes comparison is just not good whether its healthcare , crime , incarnation. What american activist need is some concrete grasp of situation and some fundamental reform instead of whatever these so called prison population control measure are, maybe see problem more as class struggle, maybe that can help more. Otherwise none of this thing will make sense, you'll rikers system with new make up with all the problem still pending and huge number of people hating anything related this issues because they'll see as ineffective way to waste tax payer money. Would you agree that there's so much activism in America and not a solution, evetyone wanna be activist but no one has solution. Also do you think with rise of social media activism there's a load of people who just dumb down the complex problem and make it more worst.

[@colors6692]

4:07 Narrator is talking about Rikers and you are showing an image of LaGuardia Airport!

[@colors6692]

From a comment below "Uhhhhhh.... the title of the video is really misleading. This has nothing to do with prison, only jail." Fix the title as well!

[@jessevelez]

@@colors6692 True, but the bridge in the foreground is the bridge from Queens to Rikers.

[@colors6692]

@@jessevelez 🤦🏿‍♀️. I know that.

[@klumzyee]

this is a perfect examples of activists wanting reform.. as long as the reform is out of sight and not in their neighborhood. same type of people who want the city to do something about the homeless, but wouldn't want their building to offer affordable housing.

[@karinshedd7334]

You know, this was my initial reaction as well. At the time of researching, I lived in an apartment in San Francisco down the street from the county courthouse and jail and, because it didn't affect me much, I didn't get what the big deal was. But I liked Jan Lee's interview because he pointed out that they're not anti-reform necessarily, they're just pointing out the rather unfair distribution of reform. If only a few neighborhoods, like Chinatown, are ever getting the shelters, jails, etc., it lets activists/reformers in other/wealthier neighborhoods off the hook in a way. Imagine the uproar of they tried to put this jail on the Upper West Side or Murray Hill* *note that my knowledge of NYC neighborhoods is limited as I only lived there for a year :D

[@chemicalfrankie1030]

Progressive nimbys

[@lsudx479]

You're describing all white women.

[@MattyMolotov]

Seems like you didn’t watch until the end then.

[@6_blocks_under]

nah the point is they only ever put these structures in places like china town while mostly white and rich neighbourhoods stay devoid of programs. why shouldn't the chinatown residents call this out?

[@jakeave]

"People are willing to kill someone for a pack of cigarets" also "Close Rikers and no new jails"

[@RC94332]

Best comment yet 😂

[@crinkledcrud]

A good piece but one small pet peeve, jail and prison are not synonymous. Jails are facilities for detention of 1 year or less, prisons are long term detention facilities for sentences of over 1 year

[@jabzilla21]

Don't expect journalists to know anything. They'll let you down every time.

[@gregoryf3771]

And yet some people are in Rikers for years...

[@jabzilla21]

@@gregoryf3771 can't handle the time, don't do the crime.

[@gregoryf3771]

@@jabzilla21 these people are in rikers for years before they were found guilty of a crime because they can't afford bail and the legal process drags on

[@tehoverlord7496]

@@jabzilla21 so you wouldn’t mind if I accused you of a crime and sent you to rikers then? after all, you didn’t do the crime yea, so why worry?

[@ShirleyitsJohn]

While I agree with the sentiment of reducing the incarceration of non violent/victimless offenders, the idea that everyone currently in jail shouldn’t be incarcerated is insane. There are some legitimate monsters that get sentenced and shouldn’t be allowed to see the light of day for what they’ve done to their victims. I’m all for providing resources to the person convicted of possession or similar charges, but the child malestors and rapists can rot for all I care.

[@ajm5007]

Well ABSOLUTELY NO ONE even PROPOSED that idea, so what's the point in even mentioning it? Just felt like publicly disagreeing with your own stupid imagination?

[@lot110]

I am so scared is not a policy. Why is there crime? Because there is poverty! 3/4 of the people in jail were not convicted and most of the crimes were poverty based! Change the system and you will need fewer jails.

[@ajm5007]

@@lot110 All true, but also mostly irrelevant and only tangential to the specific issue being addressed in this particular video.

[@toriladybird511]

Sadly the monsters are the ones most likely to be on the streets.

[@ajm5007]

@@toriladybird511 No, they are not.

[@Lemonz1989]

This is what people don’t get when they say “if you don’t want to go to jail, then don’t break the law.” Many of the crimes that people in Rikers are in for are so minor, that many regular people have already committed them, but weren’t caught. Even if they didn’t commit the crime, but someone _thinks_ they did, they will still be there until their court date. So, innocent, regular people in jail where some are willing to murder for a packet of cigarettes.

[@user-white007]

Idk how bail system works for New York, but if I committed one of these minor crimes(which I don’t) I would be able to afford bail or at least 10% bail bond fee. I’m not trying to say if you’re poor you should be in jail until trail but that’s how the system works put money upfront for freedom until trial

[@luisandrade2254]

Lol yes we get that a lot of people commit crimes but no the majority of actual regular people not fucking psychopaths have never committed any because most humans are decent. Even a so called “minor” crime (whatever that dog whistle means) can lead to a major crime down the line if you don’t cut the root of evil before it can grow

[@Lemonz1989]

@@luisandrade2254 Lol, literally _everyone_ has committed a crime at some point. Either by accident or on purpose. Most obvious would be traffic violations. It could have been speeding, forgetting your license at home, running a stop sign. On the other hand, it could even be some obscure law you don’t know about, or not even obscure but you don’t know about. Ignorance of a law doesn’t exempt you from punishment either. As for “leading to more evil” is ridiculous. As you said, most aren’t psychopaths, and don’t want to hurt others. Sometimes it’s just an accident or a minor lapse of judgement. Crimes aren’t necessarily evil either. Sometimes the laws are what are evil. I’ve had to break the law to get treatment for an illness because the drug that actually helped me is illegal in my country, even though it’s harmless if used correctly. It’s actually more harmless than the drugs that I take that are prescribed by a doctor; which have quite severe side-effects, actually.

[@dinamosflams]

this seems more like a university of crime than a real facility to make people go back to have normal lifes

[@luisandrade2254]

@@Lemonz1989 bro most people haven’t committed crimes just because you hang out with shitty people doesn’t give you the right to project that onto the rest of society lmao just choose better friends and stop being arrogant

[@lambdalambdalambda257]

Fyi jails are supposed to hold people who aren't convicted yet. The only way you spend your sentence in jail is if it's less than a year. So most inmates are only there to wait for court.

[@ms042364]

Rickers is a jail in name only. It’s actually a full-fledged prisons

[@drrezash9287]

interesting i did time in county with ppl sitting on consecutive charges doing 2 years!! personally i did 8 months in county, I was sentenced!

[@nanathegoat5106]

Lmfaooo...you are a prime example of someone who who only knows how the system works in theory. People have been in jails for YEARS waiting on trial. Tf you talking about?

[@drrezash9287]

@nismo510 yea we need to be like south asian countries and just put criminals to death..i seen some countries have groups of regular citizens that go around drug areas rounding up and executing ppl... drug dealers and users just get rid of them all together!! waste of life!!!

[@nate6045]

Kalief Browder was waiting for his day in court too. Look how that turned out.

[@rexlevitak1]

I never understand the point of prisons for non violent offenders . Why not just put some GPS bracelets on them and have them pay fines and do community service instead ?

[@paxundpeace9970]

People that commit serious fraud need to get prison sentences too but no point in having many people sit for issue were people would only sit for a few years in Europe.

[@Emerald_Forge]

@@paxundpeace9970 I mean to be fair to Europe a billionaire can pay 0 taxes in the US even if they live here full time.

[@leoandriasyan4158]

Because they will just continue to commit crimes if you don’t punish them. Trust my I lived in NY my whole life and crime has never been worse since this terrible initiative.

[@wintermint7]

@@leoandriasyan4158 They continue to commit crimes partially because they have trouble transitioning back into society after going to jail. This is solved for most people by rehabilitation. The data is pretty clear that retributive justice is not effective. By contrast, rehabilitative justice is far more effective at reducing recidivism while also being far more humane. Plus, you can’t fix crime without fixing the reasons why people commit crime in the first place. No one *wants* to steal to survive, but in an economic system that forces millions of people (including children) into starving on the streets, crime is often the only way to survive.

[@thomassutherland7032]

Because then you can’t charge their loved ones 6.50 for a 15 minute phone call or 2.50 to buy them a packet of ramen

[@lambdalambdalambda257]

If you're going to do a video on jails at least know the difference between a jail and a prison. Rikers island is NOT A PRISON smh. And these are jails they're building. Not prisons. Prisons are for sentences longer then a year and are usually built in the middle of nowhere.

[@thebeanymac]

longer *than

[@wertiaaudit5746]

Where's your video about jail

[@angelaburress8586]

But Riker’s is a prison

[@MarloSoBalJr]

In hindsight, you might as well as say Rikers is a prison 😂

[@lambdalambdalambda257]

@@angelaburress8586 "Rikers Island is a 413.17-acre (167.20-hectare) island in the East River between Queens and the Bronx that contains New York City's main jail complex." It's not a prison. it's a jail. It's where they hold you until you're sentenced. So if I steal a car and get arrested in the NY city area I'm prob going to be sent to Rikers Island until my court date. Prison is long term sentences.

[@xtieburn]

If they are greatly reducing the population, why couldnt you use a fraction of the money to overhaul Rikers? and it lends a lot of weight to the argument that the new places will just become like Rikers in future if that isnt a possibility, I mean how would physically moving location solve almost any of the problems? The violence, guard aggression, sexual assault, torturous solitary use, etc, etc are all administrative problems nothing to do with the setting. What measures can be physically built in to help, can even more easily be built in to the present prison. Whats more, it appears the new places wont be sufficient even for the reduced numbers, which will likely mean all of the problems will only get worse in continued cramped conditions. I really cant make any sense of this... well, unless I get a little more cynical about it: The commercial gains of the planned airport expansion? The enormous profits made from constructing the new buildings? The estimated savings on upkeep in the new buildings? Or given a lot of pressure was applied by Cuomo, perhaps a lot of it was just a vanity project. Regardless, Im skeptical that any of this is about providing humane conditions for an appropriately shrunk down prison population. In fact, while looking in to this I found that there was already a case in 2018 to block the closure of part of Rikers as it threatened to dump a bunch of teens in to adult populations and places with no classroom facilities etc. (This was despite the section showing great improvement even without fixing the physical structural issues.) The prisoners, in this case kids, were just pawns in a political game.

[@fastinradfordable]

It’s easy. In America when you trash your house. The only solution is obviously to give up. And build a new better house. That’ll mean you’re a new better YOU, Right? If that’s not right our society might deserve to collapse

[@squeaksquawk4255]

I assume it's for smaller prisons. Please note this is just my guess. If the population is reduced, there will be ~3500 people at rikers. The new project splits the population into 4, so that each one only holds ~9,000 people. You could divide Rikers into 4, but that seems to be... more of a compromise than a solution. Effectively, you can't split it into 4 without new buildings.

[@Drejco515]

Yeah it definitely seems like it would be a lot cheaper to just rebuild the facilities on Rikers and do a complete overhaul of the jail administration to ensure that conditions in the jail are safe and humane. All the building the new skyscraper prisons seems to do is just spread out the problems into the heart of each borough.

[@thierryfaquet7405]

Like they said, Rikers is a PITA to access to. Making a prison on an island sounds like a great idea until you think about to the cost to go im and out of there.

[@lsudx479]

You probably haven't ever taken an economics class which is why you are ignoring the fact that refurbishment of old facilities like these are MULTIPLE times more expensive than simply building a new, modern facility. And guess where most of the money for refurbishments/new construction of facilities like prisons - the tax payer. 9/10 people will tell you to take a hike if you tell them that their taxes will go up, but "we'll refurbish Riker's."

[@justSTUMBLEDupon]

Lets talk about bail reform. Like actual bail reform, not stealing a back pack putting you in jail without bail, but continuously robbing stores in the neighborhood on video with witnesses with no repercussions.

[@lukejones2929]

No matter where you move the line you invite criminals to take advantage. Californias laws are a percect example. Literal crime rings of hundreds of people going and stealing in amounts just under $1000 at a time so as to not put themselves in any risk. They do it again and again and again and when the rings get busted they have been caught with literally millions in merchandise. The real answer isn't bail reform and never was. The problems run deeper and require outreach programs and rehabilitation.

[@ericdillenberger7873]

The Kalief Browder story is always spun as 'stole a backpack, and he was innocent'. The full story is he and an accomplice forcibly robbed an adult construction worker of his bag which had his ID, wallet, phone and computer. Several felonies in that. Not just 'he swiped an unattended backpack on the playground'. Browder was identified by his victim, and Browder gave a kind.of confession in that he admitted his accomplice did the robbery. Browder was not brought to trial because the victim witness returned to his home country and without him conviction in a trial was doubtful. Should he have been held as long as he was? No way. Was he innocent? Probably not.

[@elijahfordsidioticvarietys8770]

People who do things like that pretty much always end up in jail. They would probably plea guilty because they obviously did it if they were caught on camera. The only criminals who actually get away with things they clearly did are wealthy people who commit white collar financial crimes, not armed robbery. Also bail was never meant as a punishment, its actual purpose is to prevent the accused from fleeing the country.

[@KuK137]

@@ericdillenberger7873 I like how you assume he "confessed" instead of usual US practice, police beating the confession out of him or having him sign one because he is black therefore guilty by default. I have no idea how anyone sane could still believe these thugs or think the "confession" of poor black man has any value whatsoever...

[@ericdillenberger7873]

@@KuK137 I love how you ignore the Hispanic construction worker who was robbed and identified Browder as one of the perpetrators. There was a confession and the victim was a corroborating witness. When the witness was no longer available Browder was set free after a terribly inappropriately long time in detention.

[@neckpain111]

Alot of commenters missed the point: Demolition of 2 existing structurally sound FORTIFIED jails will be an environmental nightmare in a densely packed neighborhood. On the same block and sharing a wall with the jail is senior housing, a few feet away on same block is a day care and a health clinic. Demolition requires a parade of dump trucks in narrow streets to cart tons of toxic materials and dust at cost of 2 3 billion dollars. The architect responsible for last renovation has said the current jails CAN be renovated. This renovation will have a much smaller carbon footprint and a much lesser environmental impact on the residents and economic impact on Chinatown and Little Italy. The City sufferers from a budget deficit and will have a much larger deficit in the coming years. The savings from renovation can be used towards saving crucial services and more programs for inmates .

[@neckpain111]

@Brylan making it more comfortable for prisoners solves nothing? Wow. Clearly you work for the construction company and care nothing about the prisoners. There are plenty of City owned properties across street and nearby for programs for inmates. The jail houses 1000 before. City says they only need 886 beds. Not so hard to do. They also took over the commercial space on the block which can be used for building an extension. But I get it , in your mind: it " does nothing" to truly line the pockets of construction. companies, which is WHAT this is really about- not the welfare of inmates, residents or businesses in the neighborhood.

[@alyssahamlett]

is that ur biggest concern with this video 🤦🏻‍♀️

[@conveyor2]

Jail and prison aren't synonyms. Jails are for short term stay for those not convicted.

[@saagisharon8595]

jail is for people who are too poor to afford bail and pose flight risks

[@michaelgrayson409]

Jail: pre-trial detainees and those serving sentences of less than a year. Administered by the county. Prison: those convicted of more serious, felony offenses with sentences of a year or more. Usually administered by the state or federal government.

[@quarthar]

Sucks how the two terms are often used interchangeably when they arent the same

[@homeland1128]

@@saagisharon8595 wrong.

[@regretcollector21]

I would respect this educational video much more if you didn't call jails, prisons. There's a difference.

[@z.2]

Its a jail

[@chloewebb5526]

Jails, prisons, federal prisons, and parole detention centers are all "lock-up", but they may as well be on seperate planets with how much they differ from eachother. Usually jails are the abslute worst though. It was a bit worrying going to prison the first time, but like everyone that goes, I was happy to go get better food, go outside, and hear music again.

[@karinshedd7334]

If there's one thing I've learned (and should've learned whilst writing this), it's this. My uncle is a longtime public defender in Boston and he set me straight :P Sorry about that.

[@CountingStars333]

Only in USA.

[@kristynkazumi]

I had to stop watching because of it. I came to the comments hoping there were people like you.

[@Peak_Stone]

We can get another Die Hard movie out of this.

[@skeetrix5577]

then we can make a religion out of this!

[@rogerszmodis6913]

But after 2 they have all sucked.

[@Thebreakdownshow1]

I am more interested in what they are doing to reduce the number of incarcerated people.

[@1smallball]

They've stopped arresting most people

[@DavidKen878]

You make it sound like people aren't responsible for getting themselves arrested.

[@Semper_Iratus]

Make criminals afraid again.

[@WasephWastar]

@@DavidKen878 well the USA is the country with the most people in jail, they sure have a problem

[@del.see.oh.89]

My mentally disturbed neighbor through a 10 lb weight at my mother on Saturday. It missed. Then broke hallway windows with the same weight. The cops came and they didn't want to arrest her since she was hold up in her apartment. They said that it was just harassment and that they weren't going to break down her door. I became irate and they called the White Shirts. They coaxed out her out of her apartment and arrested her. She was released about a day later. Yesterday she was going crazy in her apartment. They declared her emotionally disturbed and they broke down her door in order to drag her out. She'll be out soon. She won't get help and society suffers the consequences. If I defend myself or my parents it might even be a problem since I'm a huge Hispanic guy and she's a small black woman.

[@Caroline-lj9wq]

I agree with the new jails but I really feel for the people who live in Chinatown. Yes the court house is near by but there’s so many shelters rehabs etc in that area. It’s one of the only safe spaces where Asian Americans can express their heritage and live in a community that supports them. They don’t need another problem in the neighborhood that creates a negative perspective.

[@MarloSoBalJr]

Could always put one in Harlem...

[@rinc_1013]

There's flushing

[@corners3755]

You are called "Hold for Court" when awaiting trials or sentencing . They are usually held at a higher security, usually people just off the street or hold for courts get higher security scores because of flight or fight risk.

[@Brick-Life]

its so dumb to build a prison in the middle of the city let alone an ugly tall concrete tower with no walls that is a prison in the middle of the city. It should be far away from the city

[@Insomniac_tv]

19 floors Compared to 437 park ave is a far shy wouldn’t be seen and if done right just cover it with glass and artwork so no one would even know there was a prison there

[@robgronotte1]

They aren't prisons, they're jails. The prisons are far away from the city. This video was very unclear on the difference between the two.

[@un2ctdawmain267]

Great report & history overview.

[@bythepricklingofmythumb7628]

Why don’t they start by allowing non-violent people who have not yet been to trial have monitored house arrest? This could have an immediate effect on the overcrowding at Rikers which would hopefully reduce the violence problems. This could be achieved while they are waiting for these new prisons to be constructed.

[@dustojnikhummer]

Because that would require changes to War on Drugs. Which is sadly too profitable

[@sdizzzzzy3509]

@@dustojnikhummer the “war on drugs” was and still is a act of deception on the governments part.

[@lanahands781]

As a Brit I find it crazy how many people in the land of the free at incarserated while they are innocent till proven guilty for such minor offences, which here would likely just be issued a fine and would go on their way with no court date. Let alone imprisoned when they are not deemed dangerous for ridiculously long times while waiting for trial. Or have to pay a massive bail which is massively proportional to the persons earnings.

[@craigm461]

They are issued fines. This is BS. Nobody goes to jail for turnstile hopping.

[@Murillo.Carvalho]

Thanks Karin! Love yours vídeos

[@skeetrix5577]

appreciate the links I won't read any but it's nice to see you add references to more information

[@fastinradfordable]

“No-a/c” Has literally NOTHING to do with “squalor”

[@mshara1]

Yeah, she massively downplayed the squalor, violence and racism of Rikers.

[@GoatTheGoat]

Exactly! I don't have air conditioning at home. I didn't realize I was living in squalor. Jails should not have luxuries like air conditioning.

[@skepticalmagos_101]

should pay a visit to a 3rd world jail to find the true meaning of squalor. 😂

[@OptimisticNihilist15]

@@skepticalmagos_101 What do you mean by 3rd country? Do you even know the meaning or do you generally use it to refer to poor economically developing countries? Switzerland is a 3rd world country, shocking isn't it?

[@TristanSamuel]

Imagine setting off fireworks for the 4th of July, only to be sent to Rykers because you didn't have a permit.

[@DavidKen878]

I can't imagine going to jail for breaking the law.

[@temper44]

Illegal fireworks cause millions in damages and wildfires every year. In a city as dense as New York, it doesn't take much for a fire to start.

[@saagisharon8595]

They must have been repeated offenders when their last offense was much more serious. They just never mention that

[@JustANervousWreck]

Yes, sent to jail because they were setting off dangerous explosive devices, what’s wrong with that?

[@mshara1]

You have to be black or hispanic. white people do that all the time on staten island.

[@nikolailang4157]

I agree with that one guy. Instead of building more jails lets invest more in crime prevention and give the non-violent offenders a second chance and give them more resources to use.

[@RealSergiob466]

Same here

[@JD-ny3vz]

Rikers is hell on earth at several points last year prisoners were literally running certain houses on the island

[@eileenmaher2101]

That is because the Department of Corruption, Sorry Correction--have been staging Sick Outs and Blue Days for almost three years now--with the blessing and planning assistance of COBA.

[@robgronotte1]

Certain houses?? What does that mean?

[@brandonburns5365]

@@robgronotte1 the unit there housed in

[@chloewebb5526]

Okay, I did 5 years in prison and a couple more in jail cos I was using/selling drugs and getting in trouble when I lived in Detroit and Pontiac MI, I get how terrible county jails can be - but we still need to have a conversation about how we separate a violent suspect from a victim. If we can solve that without jails as they are known through the country these days, then maybe we can get them to not build new ones. Sure, they cold expedite the legal process, but where do we put people who would straight up be denied bail due to the damning evidence or violence of the crime? They sent me to jail for 6 months at 17yo because I stole $500 of stuff from Mejier and had a couple packs of heroin on me. They gaveme, a homeless orphan, a $50,000 bond... Shit like that definitely needs to stop. At the end of the 6 month sentence, they sent me to a "rehab" that doubled as a detention center for parolees that had violated. It was a joke of a rehab, and I was surrounded by 280 parolees that were all addicts or dealers that said they used to avoid higher charges. I wasnt helped, I was given more connections, and I wasn't even 18 yet.

[@poindextertunes]

Con College smh.. The hardest thing I’ve ever had to do was go straight. I admire you sharing your story and good luck in the future 💯

[@chinaexpat1827]

DID YOU JUST DESCRIBE SOMEONE WHO COMMITS CRIMES AS A VICTIM????

[@Shaolin91z]

Too much time on your hands 😂🤣

[@VVolfiee]

@@Shaolin91z well when you don't have a mom or dad, that can happen. That shouldn't have to be explained

[@VVolfiee]

@@chinaexpat1827 crimes don't fall out of the sky. Drugs and no parents can go along way. Those who become creations of their environment, are.. wait for it.. victims. 🤯 No one is calling anyone an angel. But thinking this woman is evil is just foolish.

[@katherinelok7689]

Should build these jails in the rich neighborhood like 5th Ave, park Ave, Madison Ave or near Gracie mansion. Chinatown is one of the most vulnerable community.

[@Jacques_a_dit]

Aren't they building there because it's next to the Courthouse? seems like a logical decision specially if there's already a prison on the site they'll be replacing with a modern safer building

[@kamauchaplin290]

@@Jacques_a_dit right I was like what drugs is she smoking

[@TheRealVivia]

Never gonna EVER happen. Unless the rich people move out.

[@0o0ox]

Which would turn it into your neighborhood….

[@BenShutUp]

This video is in red interesting. Good work Cheddar. 💯

[@mosaloquendo]

there is a good example on the Caseros Jail in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It was really a mess and a violent place so it was demolished in the early 2000´s

[@stbrian1861]

I do believe that one of the reasons that they want to close RI is for LGA to acquire the land and nearly double the size of the current airport. Please let me know your thoughts on this hypothetical scenario.

[@eileenmaher2101]

The Renewable Rikers Island plan was passed by the NYC Council last year.

[@stbrian1861]

@@eileenmaher2101 ..., Thanks for the update. It's going to be interesting to see how this plays out. We'll have a much clearer picture within the next 10 years. Could also depend who's the Governor of NY and who's the Mayor of NYC after Adams. It MAY also depend upon who's President and which political party holds sway. These are all just my thoughts (speculations). Let me know what you think...,

[@marieblade5275]

I definitely believe this, it makes perfect sense (smh at those aholes)

[@eileenmaher2101]

@@stbrian1861 the way that the law was written means that the closure of the island Is a definite. However the length of time it ultimately takes depends on Mayor, governor etc. As for renewable Rikers that too depends on how long it takes to close the Island. However preliminary land tests etc have already begun.

[@trapmuzik6708]

The new jails will be better because the inmates will be closer to the courthouse and house far less inmates it will be easier to manage and save money transporting inmates

[@justinmocio4618]

So my brother did 9 years for assault. Gets out, marrys into money but can not go a week without stealing something stupid from a store.....I asked why he felt the need to steal a tape measure when he had brand new ones. He looked at me and said "I'm a criminal, breaking the law Is what I do" ......let that sink in.

[@charlespittsjr604]

I got a cousin who does the same thing

[@jmd1743]

It's called Slumming. Even Roman emperors were known to dress up like a bum and get into bar fights for the enjoyment.

[@MrInternFTL]

Why does a sink desire entry

[@willblack8575]

well said...they are demons

[@lsudx479]

Why hadn't we adopted this decades ago? Any escapee has to risk a fatally high jump from a window or have to run through a gauntlet to get out of the ward, off their floor, down stairs or elevators, and face backup that'll be waiting for them by the time they make it to the stairwell and down the stairs or when the elevator door opens on floor 1 with a you're-under-arrest-ding.

[@thebeanymac]

you're-under-arrest-ding haha

[@ericdillenberger7873]

I like 'ding you're under arrest!'. Because skyscraper anything are disproportionately expensive than equivalently large single, 2 & 3 story structures this mega high jail is a bad idea.. Real estate is precious in an urban environment so up is common. But, Rikers has a lot of room and is an island. Escape doesn't happen there easily.

[@lsudx479]

@@ericdillenberger7873 ALL good points! I hadn't considered the cost of a skyscraper vs a 2-3 story building. Skyscrapers require having sufficient occupancy. So a skyscraper would be justified if you were taking all of NYC jails and moving them into multiple floors.

[@AneudiD78]

The Lower Manhattan jail isn't a big deal of what Jan Lee is making out to be. The new jail is going to replace a dilapidated older jail called "the tombs" and will not impact any traffic in between Baxter and Centre Street. The real traffic nightmare is just one block north on Canal Street. The only inconvenience this new construction will cause is the shortcut used by pedestrians to cross between Baxter and Centre streets deeper into Chinatown.

[@dantom2429]

Traffic is only one of the issues. DONT be ignorant and not see the major impact it will have on the businesses, lives, and the community who are still trying to recover from the covid pandemic. Tell that to the thousands of children and elderly who call Columbus park their after school\weekend home!

[@AneudiD78]

@@dantom2429 Impact? To the building that's been there for 184 years? And literally connected to the NYC Civil Court and New York State Supreme Court. Columbus park is opposite to this new jail, actually several blocks south of this jail. Residents and the community have lived next to this jail for decades without complaints. The whole area is surrounded by Federal court buildings: The Southern District of NY, NY County Jurors, NY Supreme Court, City Clerks Office, NY County Family Court etc... Chinatown is a double edged sword. The residents and community alike want new developments, but they'll be forced out when they can no longer afford new rental fees.

[@ericdillenberger7873]

I'm afraid you are greatly mistaken. A team made up of experienced architects, builders, structural and traffic engineers, medical and environmental health experts from NYU disagree. The team found risks to adjacent structures from demolition air borne contaminates, noise, diesel particulate etc. Further there is the risk to destabilize adjacent tenement structures from dewatering and subsoil subsidence. The list didn't end.

[@neckpain111]

Yeah tell the seniors in the senior housing sharing a wall with the new jail how they are not going to be inconvenienced by a 7 plus year demolition and construction project, in which the plan is to dig extra 2 floors to put in a 100 car garage. Small detail- they are digging into a pond--- what can possibly go wrong? Umm building collapse, for one. Tell the kids who go to day care on the same block, how they won't be inconvenienced by a little construction project to build the TALLEST JAIL IN THE WORLD! Tell the residents who have limited access to greenery why their park has been turned into a construction zone with loud noises and construction toxins and fumes for 7 years. Oh right they are not white, so they all do not count.

[@AneudiD78]

@@neckpain111 What's this assumption that the Columbus Park won't be accessible? It's a block south of construction. This construction will disrupt lives, but it's just another day in NYC. People wanted to close down Rikers for years, and this is the alternative. Everything will be monitered for safety. Noise? That's life living in the big city. You want tranquility, move somewhere else.

[@samhecker8322]

I personally think we should redo and renovate rikers island

[@MRABDAHMED1]

Exactly what I was thinking 🤔 it's already has a built in natural water system and only one bridge. You'd think they'd reduced the prison population then renovate the old empty buildings. NYC sure has money 💸💰🤑

[@malcorub]

It will turn into a tourist attraction like Alcatraz Island in SF.

[@jmd1743]

@@MRABDAHMED1 It's probably corruption. Somebody in the NYC Government likely knew of of those who owned the land of the new jails Some rich folk decided to build tiny homes in LA that included solar chargers for phones to help them integrate into society and the city put the tiny homes into the dumpster. The city built tiny homes of their own and charged the tax payers a fortune.

[@samhecker8322]

@@malcorub nah. I think they should keep it open

[@Fillipe.356]

escape from new york gets more and more real

[@Robertegan]

THe photo at 1:17 is the north tip of Roosevelt Island, not Rikers. Strange.

[@qolspony]

This is a good idea as the vlog explained.

[@elizabethdavis1696]

What are they going to do with rikers island afterwards?

[@gabrielrussell5531]

Probably bulldoze it, and then completely cover it in high-end condos.

[@phongphong4640]

How about making it a public urban farm to grow our local produce and flowers?

[@johnwright9372]

Probably be sold to property developers.

[@insertnamehere9950]

@@phongphong4640 i mean that would be nice but it'll probably be turned into luxury apartments

[@extrapolate]

@@phongphong4640 can’t tell if this is sarcasm

[@DaJeanius]

I was locked up there in 2013, and I must say I'm so glad that it's closing.

[@orson9880]

what did you do?

[@DaJeanius]

@@orson9880 something stupid

[@Mizra-dq3lj]

@@DaJeanius set off fireworks without a permit?

[@maddog980]

@@DaJeanius glad your out bro keep on track man god bless

[@helloxonsfan]

The problem is not location but management. Without better management, they're just shifting all the mismanagement to new locations...!!! (SMH!!!)

[@w-4258]

4:30 The problem with monitored release is that everybody is monitored now. So what does it really mean?

[@neckpain111]

Nimby would be if Chinatown opposed ANY jail. The community has had jails in its neighborhood for at least 100 years. They want the existing jail renovated! Not demolished to be replaced by the TALLEST jail in the world!

[@TheSJCieply]

Commercial space in a jail? That's unusual...

[@jerrynadler2883]

It's gonna be more or less like ChuckE Cheese

[@jessevelez]

"For profit jail" takes on a new meaning.

[@Full-metal-barista]

Where can I see the full video

[@yoongzy]

Ahhh, finally some great scenery.

[@SP95]

MEGA-CITY One : Initiated 👮‍♂

[@xxxdroidmonkeyxxx]

This whole idea was idiotic. 1. Why build prisons in the middle of neighborhoods? Rykers Island doesn't just house minor offenders. They hold murderers, rapists, and violent criminals. Who wants to be walking distance from those people. 2. Bail reform was a complete disaster. Bail reform releases everyone indiscriminately, including people who've been arrested for violent crime and have long wrapsheets. They're responsible for way more crime than the advocates of this program care to admit. 3. Reform should've been handled with the crime and criminal history in mind. Some people simply belong in prison. And knowing NYC, that billion dollar price tag will only cover the foundation of the project. Another progressive idea that will further the collapse of the city. Why aren't resources being channeled towards mental health programs instead? I guess that just makes too much sense for people who care more about appearances than actually doing something to help those at high risk of committing or being a victim of crime.

[@chronictimewasterdisease]

The Americano left is a disgrace to leftist movements

[@trebor000]

U should run for office, u know what ur talking about!

[@magmajctaz1405]

@@trebor000 Because he wouldn't win. There are too many lobbies out there who want violent offenders on the streets.

[@ppercut]

it can also cost between 16 and 70 k per person per year just to keep them locked up

[@charlesyates6687]

They did a 24 story jail in Sacramento.top 2 stories are county inmates the 18 below that are lease cells for other counties feds and extraditions .

[@luisandrade2254]

“We can’t have a prison on an island that’s ridiculous” ”Okay where do you want to put criminals then” “In the middle of the city in luxury apartments duh”

[@peteraurelius5205]

Aren't jails and prisons supposed to be far away from cities and towns?. In the movies, jails and prisons are very far so escaping is made difficult. I believe that bail should be affordable so to ease up the congestion in the prison system. All those that are out on bail and have a court date should be monitored if they failed to show up on the said date. Then prison should be their home for the time imposed by the Court.

[@baldisaerodynamic9692]

Jails are often in downtown areas of a city. they are arrested locally and held locally, until they have their first hearing. here in vegas the jail is across the street practially from the casinos and tourist area. however the 2 closest state prisons are about 45 minutes away.

[@jackforshaw4439]

Commercial space. Imagine being served your morning coffee by Payton Gendron, that would certainly be an awkward moment

[@jackfarrell4727]

more prisons?! this is a great idea!

[@You_are_Right_]

So regardless of the crime, their whole plan is, we need to reduce the number of inmates. That’s not the way to go about it.

[@MariahIsSkinnyFuckBlueLives]

why not?

[@phoenixxxflytrap]

What do you mean, "regardless of the crime?" 1) That's not the proposed plan at all and this sounds like a purposeful misunderstanding of how anything works, 2) the vast majority of crimes committed in the US are non-violent, property crimes, and 3) she says literally multiple times in this exact video that a huge portion of those in Rikers have not been convicted of ANY crime at all yet. Clearly that's where they would start.

[@whoishim2998]

How about Reducing Resources to these criminals sit and them (really bad ones) in a 7x7 room one meal a day.and stop with this reform crap

[@ryzen_9-3900xt]

Sounds like soft on crime to me

[@willblack8575]

@@phoenixxxflytrap lol non violent. ok let me get your money...its just a non violent crime... taking MY STUFF IS VIOLENCE, EXTREME AT THAT.

[@zybon777]

Uhhhhhh.... the title of the video is really misleading. This has nothing to do with prison, only jail.

[@darkgalaxy5548]

If someone steals my backpack, I have no problem sending them to jail.

[@ItsyBitsyTerror]

Denver CO did this a couple of years ago. The courthouse and jail are next door to each other. It’s been interesting but no one has escaped.

[@celtspeaksgoth7251]

but not convicted for possession of cannabis

[@ItsyBitsyTerror]

@@celtspeaksgoth7251 I’m not sure what you’re implying or if I’m just reading into this wrong? Who is not convicted? No disrespect but Colorado has much much shittier monsters to lock up that have nothing to do with weed. By decriminalizing mj it actually freed up more space for heftier convictions (child related crimes being a big one). It hasn’t been interesting in a bad way but actually a good way, it finally showed a lot of screwed up statistics we knew all along. So again I could possibly just be reading this wrong and if this came off rude I didn’t mean for it to.

[@jayski9410]

I worked as a Probation Officer for a while in Seattle and one of the solutions we tried was to contract with rural counties in the state to hold our overflow of inmates. Those counties generally had extra jail space and could use the revenue this generated for them. It also turned out to be cheaper for our city. (If I remember the numbers correctly, something like $90 thousand to hold someone in the downtown Seattle jail for a year versus $70 thousand to hold them in the rural jails. But this was back in the 1990's.) There were drawbacks though. Transportation issues to get them back for court dates and their families had longer trips to visit inmates. But as a former New Yorker, I know there are a lot of rural counties north of New York City which might participate in an arrangement like this.

[@LadyJay114]

That worked in Seattle because the jail population there is far less than in NYC. The population of the entire state of Washington is 7M. There's 8.8M in NYC alone. Rural parts of NYS already house the state prisons and many of their county jails are also overcrowded and/or dilapidated. And the time/money it would take do transport detainees in/out of those facilities would be astronomical. Also, since the price of real estate in the counties directly north of NYC is so high, it would be extremely expensive to build new facilities.

[@silentracer911]

Yes, but the risk of reoffending should be taken into consideration which is NOT BEING DONE. An addict who stole for their high SHOULDNT be released immediately. Someone who assaulted someone should be detained for a minimum amount of time (hours). The catch and release mentality we have is absurd, it’s been documented people doing a crime just to get out and reoffend WITHIN HOURS.

[@theilliad4298]

Yes say it again

[@KuK137]

Completely wrong. They shouldn't be detained. They should be rehabilitated. Detaining for some sick sense of punishment is vile practice that is completely counterproductive and if anything, ensures you have more hardened criminal with gang connections instead of productive member of society which is why civilized world abandoned this practice...

[@nunyabiznes33]

Yeah and when they finally kill someone the authorities would "No one expected this to happen".

[@DJKELLY145]

2 of my cousin work there but one of them quit because they have to do triple overtime most of the time .. like literally sleep there for 2-3 days ..and is mandatory...they always told us about everything and honestly i wish i never head there in the future.

[@Jakey4000]

How long until after the high rise prisons are built will it take for a prisoner to jump from a high floor?

[@Voltaic_Fire]

Hopefully they start actually rehabilitating criminals too, no prison system can work when it's for profit and the people who run it have an incentive to encourage criminals to re-offend.

[@baronvonlimbourgh1716]

If you want to keep these people out of prison, maybe don't limit them in their lives for the rest of their lives. Kinda is a return insurance..

[@tazer521]

The biggest question: How to get from a inmate count of 5,468 in 2022 to 3,300 in 2027?!? With crime going up in the city, looks like the catch and release and even more release continues… CURRENT inmate population are not placed at Rikers for “hopping a turnstile” or “possession of marijuana”. The current population is the most VIOLENT cruel criminals. I don’t understand why renovating Rikers with new facilities is not an option. There’s more room for new buildings/facilities and make accessible transport for families.

[@shanekeenaNYC]

SHHHHH!! This whole comment makes too much sense!

[@samsunglg6671]

My old high school is in downtown NYC Pearl street right in between a precinct and a Verizon corporate high rise was supposed to be a prison (triangular complex) but it never did. Now, that idea it's resurrected.

[@w-4258]

The problem with New York city jails is that they are the only penthouse view anyone can actually afford.

[@Jeevan_Official]

🤣👍🏻

[@maxbgi70]

How about just executing the inmates for serious offenders, like rape, murder, armed robbery and assault. What? Outrageous? Saves tax payers bucks IMO.

[@BillAngell]

Executions actually cost the taxpayers way more per prisoner

[@MrInternFTL]

Cruel and unusual punishments are forbidden by the US constitution

[@KingLarbear]

Oh naw, they need to close down that old jail but you have to build new ones or those people will lose on the streets and they need to be locked away if they are a danger to themselves or others

[@julwiezdeghorz5089]

Next time maybe a sky scrapers jail.

[@God7OD]

Walking your dog and hearing prison noises, nice

[@johnwright9372]

The USA has the highest per capita prison population in the world, about 2.2 million inmates, or about 1 person in every 160. The next highest in the developed world is the UK with about 80,000 or about 1 in 800 of the population. There are some principal reasons for this: first 3 felony convictions means life without parole, but that is changing, second, widespread drug use with associated social problems in poorer areas, third, the criminal justice system is incredibly punitive, fourth a lack of rehabilitation, social and training facilities, fifth widespread availability of firearms. No doubt some criminals should be in prison, but the whole system needs to be re thought and re designed

[@baronvonlimbourgh1716]

Until the punitive culture as a whole changes there is no chance this will improve anytime soon.

[@jmlinden7]

The guns don't mind control people into committing crimes - the high shooting rate is caused by the high general crime rate, which is due to the other reasons you listed.

[@stevenroshni1228]

Forcing defendants to stay in anything short of basic hotel standards is a pretrial punishment.

[@DavidKen878]

That's the point.

[@supernoodles908]

@@DavidKen878 which is punishment without prosecution. Innocent until proven guilty

[@chemicalfrankie1030]

I don’t have AC in my studio

[@rickson50]

@@chemicalfrankie1030 you have a choice to be in your studio. If you're being forced somewhere against your freewill then they have a responsibility

[@robgronotte1]

I didn't have air conditioning as a child in the south. And yes, I was forced to live there. How about some reform there? You think it's not ok for prisoners in NYC to be without AC, but it's fine for children in the south to have to live without it?

[@eliasthienpont6330]

It is disingenuous to cite petty crimes being held in a jail for need of bail reform, when other major crimes,shootings, stabbings, repetitive shoplifts to outright thefts are not being sent to the jails. Further it is important to distinguish between a jail and a prison. A jail holds people short-term while they are awaiting trial. Prisons hold convicted individuals to serve prison terms. THE SOLUTION IS NOT JAIL REFORM --- The solution is COURT REFORM. Persons arrested for minor category crimes should be release or convicted by a court within one week. More complicated crimes should appear before the court within 30 days. Most delays are caused by the defense council. Should that counsel not get his client into court within 45 days from arrest the defendant should be found guilty, and the defense counsel will receive heavy fines. In that case the defendant still has all of his rights of appeal, but he will have to do that from prison and not from a jail. NOBODY should be in a jail like RIKERS for more than 45 days.

[@danielyeroshalmi7492]

having less crime will have less people in prison, not having less cells, that's the epitome of stupid

[@sed6]

Just ship all the criminals to Australia like the old days.

[@jmd1743]

They'll be sending them to Mars.

[@ShaudaySmith]

Rikers facilities does seem like a place the encourages dehumanization... but these new prisons will not reduce crime rates. Reducing inmates in jail/prison numbers does not reduce crime rates. These new prisons will get overstuffed as crime continues. Social programs to encourage education and employment will reduce crime and thus inmate numbers. The NIMBYism in these communities is strong too. We want to close Rikers but don't send our criminals back to us...

[@turkialsul7847]

Wait don't talk sensibly.

[@alexlabs4858]

Seems like you missed some extremely important information from this video.

[@nunyabiznes33]

Stop making sense! You're hurting my feelings!

[@JimmyBoqvist]

FYI! There is lots of low bass noises in this video!

[@tpayne9032]

They could overhaul rikers...and use money to create a more robust public transit system that can get employees and visitors there allowing for more oversight.they could also build virtual court spaces and build a hospital, with people and resources on site. This could lower thee travel expenses and make the island less isolated

[@kyle857]

That would cost a lot more and not fix the problem with the shit location.

[@Jack-rp6zy]

The idea of closing existing prisons and not building anything new is absurd. A city the size of NYC will always have violent offenders who need to be isolated away from the general population. Complete closure isn't viable

[@gabrielrussell5531]

0:14 "One of four new prisons the city is putting in each borough except Staten Island." That's because SI is already an open air prison, and it's not a borough of New York, it's a part of Jersey pretending to be NY to seem cooler.

[@javonwatkins6924]

Exactly

[@saagisharon8595]

Do the people of SI wish they were part of jersey? Or do they get pissed off like the canadians do when you call canada an extension to the US

[@thelasthandbook6704]

Yet when SI tried to leave NYC in the 1990s the city did everything it could to stop them. 🤔

[@rodneyolinger7955]

I really like the style of the narrator. Why are there no credits that I can find. Who is the narrator?

[@carlover1816]

Everything's fun and games until one guy on the top floor uses his sheets as an improvised wingsuit.

[@XOPOIIIO]

Jumping subway turnstiles? Really? You can be put in jail? 4:18

[@saagisharon8595]

They must have been repeated offenders when their last offense was much more serious. They just never mention that

[@kirkrotger9208]

Yup. It's either a $100 fine or jail, and it's entirely up to the officer to decide which. You don't even need to have a record. Just look homeless or have brown skin.

[@guypuglia3375]

Wait a minute, do know if the people you mentioned that are at Rikers have a record? No way someone gets arrested for jumping a turnstile, they most likely had warrants.

[@baronvonlimbourgh1716]

Can't pay bail, you go to rikers if that is where they have a spot for you. no matter what you did.

[@kirkrotger9208]

People get arrested for jumping the turnstile all the time. It's either a fine or jail, and it's up to the discretion of the officer to decide which.

[@guypuglia3375]

@@kirkrotger9208 it’s called theft of services and you get a ticket unless you have a warrant or you are breaking some other law. Even if you are right which you are not you go through the system and get ROR’d you never make it to the island.

[@Leenapanther]

@@baronvonlimbourgh1716 That bailing system seems so wrong to me. Either go to prison or pay me so money. It's like black mail. It it fits to the "old west" not a modern society. Also Juries how's that still a thing...

[@baronvonlimbourgh1716]

@@Leenapanther bail is something from dickens' days. Debters prison and the likes. Only backwards countries still use it as it is extremely discriminating and completely unnesesary nowdays. But it fits the country's cruel punitive culture. No matter how inefficient or ineffective, never let a good oppertunity to assert your dominance and punish someone to the maximum of your ability go to waste i guess...

[@brendaluv2017]

It’s going to be a haunting sight 🫣

[@mr_indie_fan]

The idea of building jails around neighborhoods sounds really dumb. Like what if a prison break happens?

[@thelusogerman3021]

Slightly unrelated qusetion but why, for example aren't/couldn't ankle monitors be used instead of sending people who are awaiting trial to jail for smaller crimes such as the ones listed in the video? I see that they are planning to end that practice but i think ankle monitors could be a simple middle ground. Neither are they so free as to evade trial (which would be kind of ridiculous for crimes as small as these but it does happen) nor are you going too extreme and putting them in rykers island.

[@baronvonlimbourgh1716]

Why even have a bail system? That is something from the 1800 that only backward nations still use. Sometimes i think the usa is jalous they never got to have their own middle ages and are determined to make up for that loss.

[@Paul__Allen]

Would make sense but politicians don't do 'making sense'

[@DanteYewToob]

I have an easy fix in a few very simple steps. 1. Decriminalize drugs and prioritize getting people HELP instead of suffering withdrawal in a cell. 2. Remove bail entirely for petty crimes and harmless stuff like traffic offenses, minor shoplifting or stupid first offenses, just let them stay home until court date and increase the penalties for skipping the court date. I’ve known plenty of people who treat the first offenses vey seriously because they don’t want to become locked in the system… there is a reason people become trapped in the system after a small infraction early in life.. and it’s not because they’re criminal masterminds. 3. Put a larger emphasis on actual rehabilitation and release people who deserve it! I had family in prison for years and they said there were many dudes in there who were ready to go home, just mindlessly serving time that they had long since payed for… we need to take actual life experience into account when sentencing and deciding on parole and release… because a person can suffer much more in a few years in prison than you could imagine and learn a lesson pretty quick… but keep them in too long and they become hardened and angry and much more likely to act stupid. So release people at the right time! Some hard headed fools never learn and that’s okay! But for the people who work hard to improve themselves and better their lives, they deserve respect for that and often make better members of society than “regular” people.. someone who has lost everything, suffered and understands how to appreciate life is someone I’d much rather work with, or live around than some entitled asshole who thinks they just deserve everything. Lastly, more work release and educational programs. If prison is supposedly on paper about rehabilitation and keeping “unproductive and harmful” people out of society… let’s change that! Give prisoners jobs and work opportunities and chances to educate themselves, the WILL TAKE THEM! I hate when I see politicians and racists saying that “criminals chose crime” or don’t want jobs… that’s bullishit! Dudes fight over a chance to work in prison, they want the jobs, education and structure. Give it to them! If a person can leave prison better than they went in, instead of worse… or in a body bag… that’s what we want! We want individuals who made mistakes to have a chance to get educated, learn a trade or gain work experience so they can transition into a productive life quickly! Also, if the government is going to put a black mark on you forever by having arrest records public then they should also add caveats and add achievements, education, and work experience to that same page! Yeah, it says you did time for assault or whatever, but it should also say right under it; Completed optional anger management, received ______ degree, and has 3 years work experience. The system is broken from the foundation up here in the US and it will be until we rethink what prisons are even for. To politicians and bigots it’s a place to hide our trash, but to many it’s an inescapable hell. It should be a speedbump in life for mild offenders, and a humane place to serve out your sentence for severe crimes. But it’s not. We throw serial killers and tax offenders in the same building and treat shoplifters the same as violent arsonists… it’s ridiculous.

[@skylervanderpool3522]

Great idea, make sure they have free access to the top floor.

[@Phamtomdark]

Neat I read about something like this in a Sci-Fi called Stainless Steel Rat, Skyscraper Jails that is.

[@lawerancelanham]

With all the jails and so forth scattered across the country, we could probably create a state specifically for that purpose I hate to say

[@fuckinzell]

So you want to literally create a police state? Sure nothing could go wrong there…..

[@berkrullah]

driving without a license, setting off fireworks without a permit and stealing should not be considered minor misdemeanors, they could lead to major inconveniences for others. anything that only effects you can be considered as such though.

[@cscms28]

And how is Stealing a back pack a "minor" offense = the same as driving without license or fireworks?????

[@userequaltoNull]

"Our current jail is overcrowded and inhumane. We intend to reduce capacity and reduce our abilities to increase it again" ???

[@BillAngell]

Reduce capacity at the same time reducing the amount of people incarcerated

[@thesilentone4024]

Ya this would limit the land space used by them you can cover the walls in solar and the roof to reduce your energy demand too. Hell big parking lots need to be reduced by 80% go up not out parking garages not massive parking lots.

[@timnicholls19]

I love how the smell would be considered a problem. To me it's what I would call a deterrent! You're not there for a holiday. Now that been said I feel taking the prison out of the city all together would be a better plan, a state run one (or multiple) then they could bulldoze the current facility and modernise the island including building if kept as a correction facility turn it into separate sections for different levels of criminals / temporary accommodation for those who haven't been sentenced. A raillink to the city as it would allow better access for workers and families

[@jackgerberuae]

This administration has rocks in their heads. $8bn !!! Build the jails out in the rural areas, where there is fresh air, they can fa4m and be productive.

[@skepticalmagos_101]

Issue 01: Workers, Guards will have to move nearby or face expensive/long commutes. Will have to make extra accomodations for them or pay more to make it worth while the effort. Issue 02: Transporting Inmates to and from Court already cost $13 million per year. this will only increase it. Issue 03:Any farming done wouldnt be enough to support thousands without heavy machinery. and any produce would just go the the prison. Moving it away might be cost low at the start but operational cost would be more than 8 bn in a few years. :p

[@testchannelpleaseignore2452]

6:48 It's New York. there is constantly construction everywhere

[@tonytins]

I don't see how these would end up like Rikers since these jails will focus on rehabilitation and won''t be isolated from the city. That being said, I'm not sure putting one of those new jails in Chinatown was the brightest move.