Rikers Island closure and borough-based jail plan, explained | Curbed New York

New York City is in the midst of a colossal undertaking to shutter Rikers Island, the infamous jail complex located between the Bronx and Queens, with an ambitious proposal that would replace the island with four borough-based jails by 2026.

The far-reaching plan would place new facilities in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx, and—as often happens with land use issues—has faced fierce scrutiny from the communities slated to receive these new detention centers. Now, after months of heated community hearings and presentations on the project, the proposal is heading to the City Planning Commission for a key, binding vote on whether it can move forward. Continue reading.