Ocasio-Cortez asks for details on coronavirus precautions on Rikers Island

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) on Monday asked the city of New York to detail what safety precautions are being taken at the Rikers Island jail.

In the letter, Ocasio-Cortez notes that her office has received calls from people detained at the jail who have reported poor ventilation, insufficient soap and other cleaning materials and a lack of health care resources. The facility is located in the 14th Congressional District, which Ocasio-Cortez represents.

“The City has made valiant efforts to protect New Yorkers from COVID-19, particularly given they’ve received little help from the Trump administration. However, these disturbing calls necessitate further transparency,” Ocasio-Cortez said in a statement. “Many at Rikers stand only accused, not convicted, of a crime. And none of the detained individuals were sentenced to death by a deadly virus. The City has a responsibility to provide for the health and safety of everyone at Rikers.”

In the letter, she asks Department of Correction Deputy Chief of Staff Dana Wax for several further details on conditions at the jail. The letter specifically asks whether detainees are given enough soap to wash their hands several times a day, whether facilities are at 96 percent capacity and whether the jail is ventilated in accordance with Environmental Protection Agency guidelines.

Ocasio-Cortez goes on to ask how often detainees in the jail are tested and what arrangements it makes to quarantine those who test positive.

The spread of the virus in prisons and jails has been a particular concern during the pandemic.

In March, Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) announced the release of 300 nonviolent, elderly inmates from the jail to reduce the spread.

“We want to identify anyone in those categories and get them released immediately,” he said, describing outbreaks in prisons as “a very complicated dynamic … that we’ve literally never dealt with before.”

The New York Department of Corrections told The Hill it has responded to the congresswoman’s letter.
“The safety and health of those who work and live in our facilities is our first priority,” a spokesperson told The Hill.

“From creating a comprehensive testing regimen with Correctional Health Services, to reworking our housing to account for social distancing, we will continue to adapt to the challenges created by the pandemic to prevent the spread of the virus.”

Updated at 2:12 p.m.