Don't Abandon Inmates In The Next Disaster
- van: Care2.com
- ontvanger: Mayor Michael Bloomberg
Before deadly Hurricane Irene hit New York City, Mayor Bloomberg issued a mandatory evacuation order to everyone in New York's low-lying areas--except for the 12,000-odd inmates at Rikers Island prison.
According to the New York City Department of Corrections, more than three-quarters of Rikers Island is built on landfill, generally thought to be more vulnerable to natural disasters. Its inmates include juveniles, prisoners with mental illnesses, and pre-trial detainees who have not been convicted of any crime. If Irene had struck with all of its forecasted fury, all of these prisoners--and the hundreds of corrections officers--would have been left to drown.
In the event of another disaster, it would be inhumane and irresponsible to abandon Rikers Islands inmates and corrections officers. Urge Mayor Bloomberg and the New York Department of Corrections to develop a clear, cohesive plan for inmate evacuation.
Your recent decision not to evacuate Rikers Island prison, which lay directly in the path of Hurricane Irene floodwaters, was both irresponsible and downright foolhardy. Although Irene's damage in New York City was less than expected, had it struck with its expected fury, 12,000 inmates of Rikers Island would have been left to die.
[Your comment here]
According to the New York Times's City Room blog, no hypothetical evacuation plan even exists. In 2005, prisoners in Orleans Parish Prison were trapped for days without food, water, and ventilation as sewage-tainted water up to their chests. I urge you to develop a clear contingency plan to avoid the same thing happening in New York someday.
