Overview

• The appointed remediation manager will report directly to the court and have broad authority to revise policies, hire staff, and enforce disciplinary actions to address unsafe conditions and violence.
• This decision follows a November 2023 contempt finding against New York City for failing to comply with 18 provisions of the 2015 Nunez consent decree aimed at reducing violence and improving oversight.
• Judge Swain emphasized the persistence of unconstitutional conditions at Rikers, including high rates of violence, use of force, and in-custody deaths, as justification for federal intervention.
• Mayor Eric Adams has pledged compliance with the ruling but cited legal constraints tied to Rikers’ scheduled closure by 2027 as a challenge to making capital improvements.
• Parties involved in the case must propose four candidates for the role by August 29, with the manager expected to achieve compliance within three years.