"It's described as a gladiator school for a reason," the 49-year-old told AFP, listing another of Rikers' monikers: "torture island." A horror house of abuse and neglect," said New York State assemblywoman Emily Gallagher, who visited this week. The DOC has been struggling with staffing for months; posts have been unattended with inmates left to fend for themselves. Prison officers unions say guards are overworked from triple shifts while others are recovering from the effects of Covid-19 and injuries inflicted by inmates. The number of inmates at Rikers has fallen from around 20,000 in the 1990s to almost 6,000 today.

Source: Bangkok Post September 19, 2021 01:30 UTC