Rikers Island facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rikers Island |
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The island and prison in 2004
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 Rikers Island
Location in New York City
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| Location | The Bronx, New York City |
| Nearest city | New York City |
| Area | 413.17 acres (167.20 ha) |
| Established | 1932 |
| Governing body | New York City Department of Correction |
Rikers Island is a large island that covers about 413 acres (167 hectares). It is located in the East River in New York City, between the boroughs of Queens and the Bronx. This island is home to New York City's main jail complex.
The island was named after Abraham Rycken, who took ownership of it in 1664. When it was first acquired, Rikers Island was smaller than 100 acres (40 hectares). Over time, it grew to more than 400 acres (160 hectares). Much of this growth happened because people who were incarcerated helped fill in parts of the river with ash and other materials. Even though the island is politically part of the Bronx, you can only get there by bridge from Queens. It is also part of Queens for community planning and uses a Queens ZIP code for mail.
What is Rikers Island?
Rikers Island is one of the biggest correctional facilities and mental health institutions in the world. It is often called New York's most famous jail. The New York City Department of Correction runs the complex.
How the Facility Works
The facility on Rikers Island manages a very large number of people each year. About 100,000 people are admitted to the facility every year. On any given day, about 10,000 people are staying there. Most of the people (about 85%) held at Rikers Island are waiting for their court cases to be heard. This means they are either held because they cannot pay bail or because a judge has ordered them to stay there. The remaining people have been found responsible for an offense and are serving short sentences.
Cost of Care
It costs a lot of money to operate the facility and care for the people there. In 2015, a study found that it cost the city around $209,000 to keep one person at Rikers Island for a whole year. This shows how much effort and resources are needed to run such a large facility.
Images for kids
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Aerial photo of the jail complex
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Aerial photo of Rikikers Island, photographed from the North. LaGuardia Airport and its 4/22 runway stretch is visible, 250 feet (76 meters) from the island. Shea Stadium can be seen across Flushing Bay.
See also
In Spanish: Isla Rikers para niños
