City Council passes bill on transparency of Rikers Island inmates in solitary confinement

The City Council has passed a bill to improve the treatment of Rikers Island inmates.  Under the new legislation, correction officials are required to regularly publish information about inmates held

News 12 Staff

Aug 22, 2014, 3:15 PM

Updated 3,697 days ago

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The City Council has passed a bill to improve the treatment of Rikers Island inmates. 
Under the new legislation, correction officials are required to regularly publish information about inmates held in solitary confinement. 
The Department of Correction would issue four annual reports about the number of prisoners in solitary, along with an explanation as to why they were put there and for how long. It would also disclose if inmates attempted suicide or were assaulted, and detail medical treatment and the state of their mental health. 
Lawmakers say the bill is a necessity following recent reports of mistreatment and torture. City Comptroller Scott Stringer also released data showing that lawsuits against the city over injuries at Rikers have gone up by 174 percent since 2009. 
The law now goes to Mayor Bill de Blasio's desk for final approval.