Rikers Island in Queens, opened in 1932, is not on track to close by the 2027 deadline set by former mayor Bill de Blasio as the plan to replace it with smaller facilities lags behind schedule.

Activists and officials are pushing for immediate repairs, including hundreds of broken cell doors, expanded social and educational programs, and a reduced inmate population from about 6,500 to roughly 4,000 through faster court proceedings and transfers.

Rikers has long faced criticism for unsanitary and violent conditions and houses many pretrial detainees, drawing ongoing scrutiny from activists, officials, and public figures.

Dana Kaplan, overseeing the closure for the mayor’s office, says the effort is about more than new buildings and involves broader reform of the city’s pretrial system.

Activists express disappointment over the missed timeline and remain concerned about conditions and broader criminal justice reform efforts.

The plan to replace Rikers with smaller facilities is progressing slowly, fueling ongoing concerns about safety, efficiency, and humane treatment.

Rikers has a history of unsanitary and violent conditions and is the target of a closure plan.

Calls to close Rikers date back to the 1960s due to safety concerns, with renewed momentum in the 2010s driven by families, former inmates, and advocacy groups.

The Vera Institute of Justice notes 48 deaths in NYC jails from 2022 to 2025 and highlights Rikers’ nearly $3 billion annual operating budget, with delays linked to Covid-19 and prior administrations.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani supports closing Rikers and acknowledges the 2027 target will not be met, aiming to accelerate closure and transform the city’s pretrial justice system.

Lauren Stossel, a former psychiatrist and current member of New York City’s Board of Correction, describes conditions as generally very poor and violence as rampant at Rikers.

The city will miss the 2027 closure deadline, according to Mayor Zohran Mamdani, with delays in the shutdown plan.