New York City's beleaguered jail system has been laid bare by the latest report from its federal monitor, Steve Martin, who paints a bleak picture of dysfunction, neglect, and tragedy. The 600-page document, which covers the first half of 2025 but highlights more recent incidents, reveals a disturbing pattern of routine abuse and neglect that has resulted in at least 12 deaths, including Ardit Billa's.
Billa's death was just one of several instances last year where his body was found unresponsive in his cell with no apparent signs of struggle. Officers noticed a foul smell emanating from his cell before discovering him naked and covered in feces, with his head submerged in the toilet. The report suggests that Billa had isolated himself and refused social services and medication in the days leading up to his death.
The monitor's findings are alarming, particularly given the fact that this is not an isolated incident. "A disturbing pattern" has re-emerged across DOC administrations, accusing the department of slowing reforms, attempting to limit transparency, and providing false or misleading information. Ten years after a landmark federal settlement required the city to overhaul its jails, the system remains profoundly unsafe.
Advocates are warning that Rikers Island is still an "egregiously violent, dysfunctional place" that poses a significant risk to both staff and prisoners. The status quo cannot continue, according to Zachary Katznelson, executive director of the Independent Rikers Commission. Last year, US District Judge Laura Taylor Swain found the city in civil contempt for violating key provisions of long-standing court orders governing use of force, supervision, and safety inside the jails.
The judge's decision to appoint a remediation manager reflects her conclusion that incremental change has failed. The remediation manager will have authority on par with the correction commissioner to direct reforms across the department. If progress remains stalled, the judge may move to place the jail system into full receivership, stripping control from the city altogether.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani's administration is under pressure to address these issues. While he has vowed to get Rikers closed by 2027, progress towards that goal has slowed considerably during his predecessor's term. The mayor has pledged to cooperate with the monitor and issued an executive order directing the correction department to end solitary confinement.
However, advocates are warning that the bigger challenge is reducing the population at Rikers, particularly among vulnerable populations. Darren Mack, cofounder of the Freedom Agenda, said he was heartened by some early signs from the new administration but remained critical of the city's approach to reforming its jails. "Rikers Island is a human rights crisis that cannot be fixed or reformed," he said.
As the city struggles to come to terms with the scale and severity of the problems at Rikers, one thing is clear: the status quo must change. The lives of prisoners, staff, and their families are being put at risk by a system that continues to prioritize profits over people.
Billa's death was just one of several instances last year where his body was found unresponsive in his cell with no apparent signs of struggle. Officers noticed a foul smell emanating from his cell before discovering him naked and covered in feces, with his head submerged in the toilet. The report suggests that Billa had isolated himself and refused social services and medication in the days leading up to his death.
The monitor's findings are alarming, particularly given the fact that this is not an isolated incident. "A disturbing pattern" has re-emerged across DOC administrations, accusing the department of slowing reforms, attempting to limit transparency, and providing false or misleading information. Ten years after a landmark federal settlement required the city to overhaul its jails, the system remains profoundly unsafe.
Advocates are warning that Rikers Island is still an "egregiously violent, dysfunctional place" that poses a significant risk to both staff and prisoners. The status quo cannot continue, according to Zachary Katznelson, executive director of the Independent Rikers Commission. Last year, US District Judge Laura Taylor Swain found the city in civil contempt for violating key provisions of long-standing court orders governing use of force, supervision, and safety inside the jails.
The judge's decision to appoint a remediation manager reflects her conclusion that incremental change has failed. The remediation manager will have authority on par with the correction commissioner to direct reforms across the department. If progress remains stalled, the judge may move to place the jail system into full receivership, stripping control from the city altogether.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani's administration is under pressure to address these issues. While he has vowed to get Rikers closed by 2027, progress towards that goal has slowed considerably during his predecessor's term. The mayor has pledged to cooperate with the monitor and issued an executive order directing the correction department to end solitary confinement.
However, advocates are warning that the bigger challenge is reducing the population at Rikers, particularly among vulnerable populations. Darren Mack, cofounder of the Freedom Agenda, said he was heartened by some early signs from the new administration but remained critical of the city's approach to reforming its jails. "Rikers Island is a human rights crisis that cannot be fixed or reformed," he said.
As the city struggles to come to terms with the scale and severity of the problems at Rikers, one thing is clear: the status quo must change. The lives of prisoners, staff, and their families are being put at risk by a system that continues to prioritize profits over people.
It's like they're putting profits over people and it's just not right. I mean, 12 deaths is way too many - we need real change ASAP 
I'm also super concerned about the lack of transparency and accountability in the system. Like, how can you trust that reforms are actually happening when there's no clear plan or oversight? 
And don't even get me started on solitary confinement... it's just so inhumane 
We need systemic change, not just token gestures or empty promises 
We need a more comprehensive approach to reform, not just band-aids on symptoms. 
. It's like they're literally killing people left and right in there 
. I mean, 12 deaths is just crazy. And the conditions? Forget about it... dirty cells, no social services, no meds... how are they even supposed to survive that? 
. You can't expect people to be safe when you're stuck in a place like that. And the fact that they're still not addressing the population numbers... it's just not fair to those prisoners and their families 
. The mayor says he wants to get Rikers closed by 2027, but that's not enough... we need concrete actions and reforms 
I'm seeing a lot of people saying "this can't be happening" but we already know it's been going on for years. It's like we're witnessing a perfect storm of neglect, abuse, and systemic failure. The fact that 12 deaths have happened in just the first half of 2025 is staggering. It's not just about Ardit Billa or Rikers Island; it's about a system that's fundamentally broken.
. Remember when Moby-Dick was all about obsession? It's like, 10 years ago, we were hearing similar stories about Rikers Island and how it was this dystopian nightmare 
. And now, 10 years on, things are still super rough 
. We need real change, not just empty promises 
. And what's with all these new "remediation" managers and judges? It feels like we're just going through a revolving door 
. When will we actually get some meaningful reforms? 
. the city needs to take real action and not just make empty promises. they need to address the root causes of the problem, like reducing the population, especially among vulnerable populations 
and what about those in mental health crisis? they need help not locked up alone 
We need better solutions than just promises of reform 
and executive orders 
facepalm moment for NYC! How can we expect reforms when the DOC is more concerned with covering up problems than actually addressing them? 
The lack of transparency and accountability is staggering, especially considering this isn't an isolated incident 
. 2027 might be too long to wait for Rikers closure... when will it be safe enough? 
#JusticeForAll #EndSolitaryConfinement #RikersIslandReformNow
i mean, 12 people died in this place last year alone... that's crazy 
. the monitor's report is basically saying "hey, we know something's wrong here" but instead of taking real action, they're just trying to sweep it under the rug 
.
. How can you fix a broken system when there's no will to change the way things are done? And don't even get me started on solitary confinement - it's like they're just ignoring the problem 
. It's time for someone to take responsibility and make real changes 
. we need systemic change to ensure that prisoners are treated with dignity and respect 
.
.
we need real systemic change ASAP and not just some token reforms that won't make a difference.
.
Until someone actually makes it happen, we're stuck in this cycle of criticism and frustration 
. We need to see some real, concrete changes happen ASAP 
. No more half-measures or PR stunts