NYC budget: Mamdani and City Council urged to boost funding for jail alternatives to reduce Rikers Island population, prep for closure

Advocates and City Council members are urging Mayor Zohran Mamdani to allocate an additional $87 million in the NYC budget for jail alternatives and reentry programs to reduce Rikers Island's population and expedite its closure by 2027. The current Rikers population of about 7,000 must drop to 4,000 to facilitate closure, with remaining inmates moved to borough-based jails.