Readout of United States Attorney Damian Williams’s Visit to Rikers Island Correctional Facility

Earlier today, United States Attorney Damian Williams and members of his executive team toured the Rikers Island Correctional Facility with Department of Correction Commissioner, Luis A. Molina, in East Elmsford, New York.

In 2015, the United States entered into a Consent Judgment agreement with New York City and the New York City Department of Correction to address the excessive and unnecessary use of force on Rikers Island (the “Consent Judgment”).  Over the last 2 years, the United States negotiated several remedial orders to address ongoing non-compliance with core provisions of the Consent Judgment.  In June 2022, the Court ordered the City and Department to implement an Action Plan requiring a broad range of reforms and improvements to address the ongoing violence and security failures on Rikers Island.

An independent federal monitor overseeing the Consent Judgment continues to assess compliance with the requirements of the Court orders.

Also in attendance were Assistant United States Attorneys Jeffrey K. Powell and Lara K. Eshkenazi from the Office’s Civil Division.