Board Of Corrections Will Get Live Video Stream Inside Rikers Island Jail
Thanks to a recent legal settlement with the Adams administration, the government’s monitoring body, often referred to as the “eyes and ears” within city jails, has had its full access reinstated.
For over eight months, the City Board of Correction could only view video footage from city jails at a specific location and strictly during regular business hours. Officials have now confirmed that the board will regain unrestricted access this week.
The board, responsible for overseeing Rikers Island and ensuring compliance with the City Charter, initiated a lawsuit against the city in August. They demanded independent access to video recordings, asserting their legal entitlement to inspect and visit facilities at any time. Last week, their demand was met when the Department of Correction settled the lawsuit. Annais Morales, spokesperson for the Department of Correction, claimed that the department is working to restore video access by this week.
DeAnna Hoskins, Vice Chair of the Board of Correction, expressed that the removal of video access was contrary to the City Charter and found it “unsettling” that Department of Correction Commissioner Louis A. Molina refused to discuss the policy change with the board. She noted that it took legal action to rectify the situation but also acknowledged relief that the department recognized the board’s commitment to upholding the charter on behalf of New Yorkers.
The settlement announcement came on September 28, after images were presented by the Board of Correction in August 2022 at the request of Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg and later obtained by Gothamist through a public records request.
In January, the Adams administration abruptly restricted the board’s independent access to jail video footage without providing a rationale. Under this new policy, the board could still view videos but only at a designated location during business hours. They lost their ability to access archived and real-time video footage from approximately 14,000 wall-mounted surveillance cameras in the jails, as well as footage from officers’ body-worn and handheld cameras.
Hoskins explained that the lack of independent video access for eight months hindered the board’s work, as any complaints requiring investigation had to be conducted under the department’s supervision in a designated room. She commented, “They still want to control and monitor us.”
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