Mayor De Blasio slammed for not speaking to inmates and correctional officers during visit to Rikers Island – CBS New York

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NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – Governor Kathy Hochul takes more action to ease the crisis on Rikers Island as Mayor Bill de Blasio faces growing criticism over what he did not do on his trip to the prison complex.

As CBS2’s Aundrea Cline-Thomas reports, Hochul once again used the power of his pen to deal with the crisis on Rikers Island.

READ MORE: Mayor De Blasio visits Rikers Island amid mounting pressure to sort out conditions for inmates and correctional officers

This time around, she has expanded the availability of remote hearings to help resolve cases more quickly for the vast majority of remand inmates.

It comes after widespread staff shortages prevented many inmates from being transported to their hearings, stalling the process.

In a tweet, the governor said: “We cannot stand idly by as this situation continues to deteriorate.”

And I have committed to providing additional resources to increase video capacity if needed.

We cannot stand idly by as this situation continues to deteriorate. We will continue to act and encourage all of our government partners to do the same.

– Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) September 28, 2021

This is a measure that will help reduce the prison population.

“With the actions that we are going to take now, with the State in particular, we are going to reduce the population much more. We will soon reduce this population to less than 5,000, ”said de Blasio.

A population to which the mayor did not speak during his visit to the prison complex on Monday.

The mayor defends this choice and does not hire correctional officers.

READ MORE: New York congressmen call on President Biden to intervene in Rikers Island crisis

“Over the years I’ve talked to inmates, I’ve talked to people who were in Rikers as inmates, I’ve talked to officers. I have a pretty good understanding of the extent of the problems, ”he said.

“How not to come here in four years and not ask a correctional officer about his working conditions?” How are you today? You’re kidding me, ”said Benny Boscio Jr., president of the Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association.

The correctional officers’ union blasted the mayor.

In a statement, they said in part, if he had spoken to them, “Maybe he would learn that our policewomen are routinely sexually assaulted by inmates with impunity.” Maybe he would even see the tears streaming down the faces of our officers who are physically and mentally exhausted from working three shifts without meals and sometimes sleeping in their cars in the Rikers parking lot.

Yet de Blasio remains steadfast in the face of persistent criticism that his method works.

As for the governor, she is exploring other ways to speed up the hearing process, but she is also encouraging her fellow lawmakers to do their part.

The Federal Observer, who has written scathing reports on the conditions on Rikers Island, has reached an agreement with the town on the prescribed improvements.

MORE NEWS: Family members of those on Rikers Island, former inmates say floating prison problems are very real

There will be a hearing later this week before a judge.

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