New York City is currently facing a lawsuit from the Justice Department after a history of systematic violence against young male inmates at Rikers Island was uncovered.
According to the Associated Press, federal prosecutors filed the suit to accelerate procedural change at the massive facility:
In court papers, Attorney General Eric Holder and Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara wrote that despite four months of negotiations with the city, federal prosecutors "have been unable to reach agreement as to lasting, verifiable, and enforceable reforms.
The lawsuit seeks an court-enforceable consent decree is issued by a judge to ensure the reforms take place, and notes that the city has now agreed to such intervention.
Although refinements have been discussed, they reportedly have yet to reach younger inmates:
But the federal complaint says those reforms have yet to reach 18-year-olds. It noted there have been 71 reported use-of-force incidents against 18-year-olds between September and November in facilities without surveillance cameras. As of last month, at least 40 of them were being held in solitary confinement.
Jail officials have been "deliberately indifferent to harm" of the young inmates by failing to make sure incidents are properly reported, failing to appoint enough supervisors, failing to conduct thorough investigations and failing to discipline staff for using excessive force, the lawsuit says.
[via Associated Press]
