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Council Member Brewer questions nominees on reducing Rikers Island population

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Council Member Gale A. Brewer questions Dr. Robert Cohen and Helen Skipper, nominees for the NYC Board of Correction, about strategies to reduce the inmate population at Rikers Island. The nominees discuss past successful efforts to decrease numbers and the importance of providing support services to prevent recidivism.

Dr. Cohen highlights a successful reduction from 6,000 to 3,500 inmates at the start of the pandemic through collaborative efforts.
Helen Skipper emphasizes the need to address both incoming inmates and recidivism through appropriate services and support programs.
The discussion underscores the complexity of the issue and the multifaceted approach required to achieve population reduction goals.

Gale A. Brewer

0:10:01

Thank you both very much.

0:10:02

I think the main issue I have is what would you do to try to get the numbers down?

0:10:07

I'm for closing.

0:10:08

I was borough president.

0:10:10

I supported closing Rikers then, continue to do so.

0:10:13

But in order to do so, we need to get the numbers down.

0:10:15

How would you go about that?

Dr. Robert Cohen

0:10:18

Well, it's a it seems to be an overwhelming problem, but it has been done.

0:10:23

Most importantly, it's been done.

0:10:25

In five years ago, in a in a terrible time, the beginning of the pandemic, the population was over 6,000.

0:10:31

And within within six weeks, it went down to 3,500.

0:10:35

That required the activity of the council, the the the judges, the district attorneys, the defense bar, and the Department of Correction and and medical services of correctional health services of the Health and Hospitals Corporation.

0:10:53

Everybody worked together.

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They identified people who did not need to be there.

0:10:57

They needed and successfully, they got it down to to to 3,500, which would work right now.

0:11:05

So that's that's my best example of of how of how to do it.

0:11:08

I'm sure there are others, but that one worked.

Helen Skipper

0:11:12

I'd also like to add that as we try to get the numbers down and we are succeeding, we also need to look at that from two ways.

0:11:19

We need to look at who is entering into, Rikers Island and we also need to look at recidivism and the fact that if you go there, are you giving the appropriate services and programs and supports so that you do not return, you do not have to walk that same path.

0:11:36

That is another available way for us to get the numbers down is to make sure that once they enter, they do not leave the same way they went in.

0:11:45

Part of my story was my twenty five years at the in and out that I went in addicted to drugs, suffering from an unchecked mental illness, never received any support or services, left out only to return again.

0:11:58

We're trying to stop that from the onset as well.

Keith Powers

0:12:04

Thank you.

0:12:04

Other questions, members?

0:12:09

Seeing none and seeing I don't think we have any on the virtual as well.

0:12:13

You guys are both excused.

0:12:16

Thank you, guys.

0:12:16

Thank you.

Helen Skipper

0:12:17

Thank you.

Dr. Robert Cohen

0:12:18

Thank you very much.

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Vote outcome: Resolutions adopted unanimously