Extent of Power Granted to the Court-Designated Rikers Administrator: Potential Candidates Seek Clarification

In a historic ruling by federal judge Laura Taylor Swain in May, the role of an independent remediation manager was created to oversee long-stalled reforms at Rikers Island. This decision came as a response to the ongoing issues within the city's jails.

The remediation manager, who will be appointed by the city and the Legal Aid Society, will work closely with the Department of Correction commissioner and report to the court. However, there is confusion over who will have ultimate authority between the remediation manager and the commissioner.

The job description for the remediation manager has been seen as lacking the authority needed to fully change the jail complex. One potential applicant expressed concerns about the lack of clarity in the job description, calling it a "receiver lite position."

Lawyers for the city and the plaintiffs submitted different proposals on how to fix city jails earlier this spring. The plaintiffs' proposal called for an independent receiver with broad powers, while the city argued that the Department of Correction Commissioner, Lynelle Maginley-Liddie, could turn things around on her own.

It is unclear if Commissioner Maginley-Liddie was the only person on the city's list for the remediation manager position. No names of applicants for the position have been released to the public.

The remediation manager's role is similar to a typical receiver at other troubled jails. There are currently three active correctional receiverships in the U.S., including one over the Hinds County Raymond Detention Center in Mississippi and two over California's prison mental health and medical systems.

The remediation manager will enact the long-stalled reforms at Rikers Island and submit up to four suggestions each for a temporary manager. The city has submitted its own version of candidates for the remediation manager position.

However, the city has filed a motion requesting that Judge Laura Taylor Swain reverse her decision to appoint a remediation manager. Lawyers for the city could ultimately ask the federal appeals court to review Judge Swain's decision, thus delaying the process.

The name of the independent remediation manager selected by Judge Swain on May 31 to temporarily take over operations at large parts of Rikers Island is not publicly specified in the available information. The remediation manager will have the authority to determine the correction department's "needs and positions with respect to contract provisions."

Alabama was the first state to undergo a correctional receivership in the late 1970s, setting a precedent for the current situation in New York City. The hope is that the remediation manager will bring about much-needed change and improve conditions at Rikers Island.

Extent of Power Granted to the Court-Designated Rikers Administrator: Potential Candidates Seek Clarification