Critics say borough jail plan threatens New York City safety

Demonstrators gathered in Chinatown to oppose the city’s effort to construct a high-rise jail on the historic Collect Pond site, citing engineering risks that could compromise nearby buildings. The larger “replace Rikers” scheme, which envisions four new borough-based prisons and the closure of Rikers Island, is years behind its timeline and has seen its projected cost rise by billions of dollars. Critics argue that the deterioration of Rikers is a result of poor management and neglect, not its island location, which they say is actually advantageous.

They also point out that the four new facilities would accommodate at most 4,200 inmates, a figure well below the current citywide detention population of 6,500, effectively limiting the city’s ability to incarcerate. The plan is portrayed as part of a progressive agenda that includes bail reform, reduced penalties for minor offenses, and a push to make arrests more difficult. Opponents call for modernizing Rikers Island instead of pursuing what they describe as an inadequate and unsafe replacement.