Rikers houses more than 6000 people.
Ross MacDonald is the chief medical officer of New York City's Correctional Health Services. He said that he had "witnessed" the collapse in basic jail operations.
The jail has seen many deaths due to staff shortages.
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New York Governor Kathy Hochul approved the release of 191 Rikers Island detainees on September 17, according to The New York Times.
State and local officials visited the facility earlier in the week with public defenders. They found a raging humanitarian crisis and witnessed an inmate attempt suicide. Jessica Gonzlez Rojas, state Assemblymember, wrote.
Hochul stated that she would transfer 200 more people to state prisons over the next few days. She cited staffing issues as well as an increase in COVID-19 transmissions in recent weeks.
Rikers currently houses more than 6 000 people.
According to NY1's letter, Ross MacDonald was the chief medical officer of the city's Correctional Health Services. He stated that "Unfortunately, we have seen the collapse of basic prison operations in 2021." "The collapse has led to an increase in deaths that we refer to jail-attributable as where jail conditions significantly contributed to the death."
The Times reported that guards were forced to work consecutive shifts and remained on duty for at least 24 hours to make up for approximately 2,000 officers who are unable or out of work each day.
According to MacDonald, jail-attributable deaths have been caused by staff shortages. These include delays in processing and housing new prisoners, fights over basic necessities such as food and medication, overcrowding, which has led to inmates and detainees standing in their own urine for days.
The jail's crisis has also contributed to the increase in COVID-19 transmission. The city's Correctional Health Facilities data shows that the positive rate of the jail population is 5.32%. This is much higher than the 7.6 percent city average.
"I was as traumatized today by the Rikers experience as I was in the 12 years that I have been coming here. For weeks, hundreds of people sat in the same Intake Pen with one bathroom for several days. They will die from covid. This is barbaric. I beg to differ.
Following his September 16th Rikers tour, Daniel Dromm, New York City Councilmember, tweeted "[Hochul] to come now & end the torture."
Insider reached Hochul for comment.
