PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Eileen Maher, Civil Rights Union Leader and Social Worker, Survivor of Rikers Island
3:55:37
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157 sec
Eileen Maher, a civil rights union leader and social worker who spent 427 days as a detainee at Rikers Island, testifies in support of the proposed bills to improve conditions and notifications in NYC jails. She emphasizes the urgent need for reform based on her firsthand experiences and recent deaths in DOC custody.
- Strongly advocates for notifying emergency contacts about serious injuries, illnesses, deaths, and suicide attempts of detainees
- Criticizes DOC for delayed implementation of PREA officer and questions their capability to run a humane system
- Calls for preparation for the closure of Rikers Island through decarceration and community services
Eileen Maher
3:55:37
Good afternoon.
3:55:37
My name is Eileen Mar.
3:55:39
I'm a civil rights union leader.
3:55:41
From Voca, New York, a social worker, and a survivor of the fell on earth that is reconciling where I spent over 427 days as a detainee.
3:55:50
So I know firsthand how well both writers and the officers and staff truly are.
3:55:56
The bills put forward to the council today are all necessary and must be passed expeditiously, especially in light of the most recent deaths of detainees and DOT custody.
3:56:05
Notifying the detainees emergency contact in or next to Kim with share when seriously injured illness or death is imperative and not is imperative as well as humane and falls under common sense.
3:56:24
And suicidal attempts and or ideations as well are indicative of mental health issues and illness, and mental health is human health.
3:56:32
Medically speaking, why was he tamed on the island I witnessed first hand in neglect abuse and indifference inflicted upon my fellow detainees, and I pray that my health did not fail in any capacity for this reason.
3:56:46
Those same issues have only gone worse.
3:56:48
The 33 deaths since mayor Adams took office, as well as their family's testimonies of negligence, and while just being shut out completely is approved in the pudding.
3:56:58
And keep in mind, more than one of more than one of the deaths of the family has testified was never notified by DOC or CHS.
3:57:07
They found out from other detainees, their loved ones had befriended.
3:57:12
Today, DOC stated that there's an official Priya officer.
3:57:16
Who might that be?
3:57:17
What is his or her their name?
3:57:19
The Priya Act has been in effect for well over a decade, and GMC is just assigning an officer now.
3:57:27
All of the bills put forward today are great and must be passed for the benefit of all detainees and staff.
3:57:32
However, concurrently, we must be preparing for the August 2020 7 legally binding closure date of Ryker's Island.
3:57:40
We must have humane and holistic treatment on Ryker's, but we almost also must be preparing for the closure via decarceration, HCIs, community, educational mental health, health, domestic violence services, as well as services for the on house all being infused and saturated in all of our communities, but especially in the underserved and underserved communities.
3:58:02
And finally, DOC has proven over the course of essentially that they are incapable of running a humane and therapeutic system Therefore, it is time to remove them of their duties.
3:58:13
Thank you.
