SURVIVORS OF RIKERS
In new ‘Oral History’ book former inmates tell what it’s like
In “Rikers: An Oral History,” which hits bookstores Tuesday, authors Graham Rayman and Reuven Blau delve deep into the culture and history of Rikers Island. Rayman covers criminal justice for the New York Daily News, focusing on the city jails. He is also the author of “The NYPD Tapes.” Blau is a former Daily News reporter who is now a senior reporter covering the jails and politics for The City.
Solitary “Nobody Can Hear the Wheels Squeak Anymore”
The United Nations deems anything more than fifteen consecutive days of solitary confinement a form of torture. For years, the limits in the New York City jail system went far beyond that.
At its peak, there were nearly a thousand so-called Punitive Segregation cells, with some specifically dedicated for teens and people with mental illness. Research shows that twenty-three hours a day in a cell leads to serious psychological damage, especially for adolescents, whose brains are still developing. Studies also show that the punishment does little to decrease violence because those same people are later released right back into the general population.
Over time, medical experts have determined the long-term damages of solitary, especially for vulnerable populations, far outweigh any positive initial result. In New York City, there are now strict limits on how long people can be isolated, and some groups are totally exempt from solitary.
Jail officials and union leaders have strenuously fought each of the changes, saying the punishment is needed to keep people who follow the rules safe.
HECTOR “PASTOR BENNY” CUSTODIO,
former Latin King leader, detained 1991 to 1994: I first went in 1992, in the Bing. You only bathed on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Sometimes they would spit in your food. They would put your food under your door. You had to look thoroughly through the food. They gave you a monkey suit; none of your own clothes. During the summer, you had blistering heat. Imagine spending almost four years in your bathroom, locked up, and not being able to go anywhere. That’s what it was like. You were so close yet so far. I’ve seen guys kill themselves, lose their mind, get broken.