In a significant move towards reforming the Rikers Island jail complex, Mayor Zohran Mamdani has unveiled a comprehensive plan aimed at terminating nearly five years of emergency orders that have relaxed essential jail protocols. While this plan marks a crucial step forward, some aspects, such as restrictions on solitary confinement, are not expected to be implemented for nearly a year and will require court approval.
The mayor’s action plan outlines a strategy to phase out emergency measures that have allowed for extended 12-hour officer shifts, diluted disciplinary procedures, and the housing of young adults with the general inmate population since September 2021. Additionally, the plan sets forth a pathway for the execution of Local Law 42, a significant solitary confinement reform enacted by the City Council in 2023. This law limits isolation to a maximum of 60 days per year and mandates comprehensive due process safeguards.
The national spotlight on solitary confinement intensified following the tragic death of Layleen Polanco, a 27-year-old transgender woman, who died in isolation in 2019. Her death ignited widespread advocacy for reform, culminating in the passage of Local Law 42.
Shortly after assuming office, Mayor Mamdani extended the emergency declaration overseeing the city’s jails and tasked the Department of Correction (DOC) with formulating a plan to implement the long-delayed law.
Mamdani expressed that the plan represents a pivotal shift in addressing the systemic issues that have plagued Rikers. “For too long, city government allowed entrenched problems and operational breakdowns to persist. This plan shifts us away from temporary stopgaps and toward sustainable reform,” he stated.
However, the proposed reforms face potential challenges as many require approval from a court-appointed monitor, a newly appointed remediation manager, and Judge Laura Taylor Swain of the Southern District, who oversees the ongoing Nunez lawsuit.
Some changes are already in motion, including the return to standard procurement practices and the discontinuation of the 12-hour shift pilot program at the Rose M. Singer Center, which will end on March 1. The Correction Officers Benevolent Association has voiced strong opposition to these extended shifts.
Other reforms, however, may take longer to implement. The plan to cease housing young adults alongside older detainees—a practice that advocates argue endangers vulnerable individuals aged 18 to 21—is not expected to be finalized until the second quarter of 2027.
The reform roadmap also proposes significant changes to how the city manages its most serious disciplinary cases. Instead of placing Level One offenders inRestrictive Housing (RESH), these individuals will be relocated to housing units that provide counseling and additional programming aimed at rehabilitation.
The document detailing the proposed reforms highlights the complexities involved in dismantling emergency measures that originated during the COVID-19 pandemic and were perpetuated under the administrations of former Mayor Bill de Blasio and current Mayor Eric Adams. The initial emergency order, enacted in September 2021, temporarily suspended disciplinary procedures for correction officers amid a staffing crisis characterized by high absenteeism rates. Subsequent orders expanded these suspensions to include minimum standards for housing areas, court operations, and other essential jail regulations.
The comprehensive plan targets four critical areas: de-escalation confinement (limited to four hours), restrictive housing (requiring hearings and due process), pre-hearing detention (necessitating high-level approval), and the use of restraints (restricted to cases of imminent danger).
The DOC will also be mandated to establish de-escalation cells or housing areas that meet minimum standards for space and hygiene. Officers will be required to conduct checks every 15 minutes and provide continuous crisis intervention. The proposed reforms aim to severely limit the use of restraint devices, which advocates have long criticized as a form of torture. Under the new law, restraints will only be permitted if an individualized assessment determines they are necessary to prevent imminent harm. Furthermore, the use of restraints cannot occur on two consecutive days without a hearing, will require daily reviews, and can only be authorized for a maximum of seven consecutive days.
In addition to these reforms, the DOC is conducting internal assessments to identify the necessary physical changes, staffing adjustments, and policy updates required to implement many of the proposed initiatives effectively.
The plan also addresses the issue of officer discipline, with new policy changes expected by mid-2026 that would reinstate suspensions for officers who are absent without leave or violate sick leave protocols. Additionally, the city is in the process of negotiating a memorandum of understanding with the NYPD to clarify the police department’s role in overseeing pre-arraignment court holding areas—responsibilities that were transferred to the NYPD under previous emergency orders. This agreement is anticipated to be finalized by fall 2026.
In a statement regarding the reforms, DOC Commissioner Stanley Richards emphasized that this plan signifies a transformative shift from crisis-driven operations to sustainable, safe jail management.
As these initiatives unfold, the community and advocates will be watching closely to ensure that the necessary changes are implemented effectively and lead to a safer, more equitable system for all individuals involved.
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