Prisoners to Remain on Rikers Island As Hurricane Sandy Heads for New York

[morningfog]

At a press conference this afternoon on New York City’s preparations for Hurricane Sandy, Mayor Michael Bloomberg was asked about the safety of prisoners on Rikers Island, which lies near the mouth of Long Island Sound, between Queens and the Bronx. Bloomberg appeared annoyed by the question, and responded somewhat opaquely: “Rikers Island, the land is up where they are and jails are secured.” Apparently unable to fathom that anyone’s main concern would be for the welfare of the more than 12,000 prisoners on Rikers, Bloomberg then reassured listeners: “Don’t worry about anybody getting out.”

The last time a major hurricane was headed for New York–Irene, in August of 2011–Bloomberg gave a similarly terse response to a question about the island prison. ”We are not evacuating Rikers,” he declared even as other shoreline communities and City Island were cleared of residents. With little information forthcoming from the New York City Department of Corrections and Rikers left blank on the city’s Evacuation Zone maps, prisoners’ loved ones “were in a panic,” says Lisa Ortega, whose 16-year-old son was being held on Rikers at the time. A story originating on Solitary Watch, “Locked Up and Left Behind,” went viral, and thousands of readers expressed concern or outrage.

http://solitarywatch.com/2012/10/28/prisoners-to-remain-on-rikers-island-as-hurricane-sandy-heads-for-new-york/

[redwitch]

1. This makes me feel sick.

What a sad, sorry state of affairs. I hope they are ok. Some of the people on Rikers may not be people I could love but they deserve to be treated as human beings.

[Tsiyu]

2. I agree with redwitch

Sickening. There are all sorts of groups picking up stray animals and shuttling shelter pets to safer ground. Is there no one to advocate for prisoners?

Bloomberg doesn't want us to give a flip about 12,000 people?

Ah - but wait - the only criminals who get special treatment from Bloomers are the Wall Street thieves and the NYPD thugs. HIs family.

The family members of those in Rikers are just SOL.