Independent Rikers Commission

The Independent Rikers Commission seeks to help the City of New York close the jail complex on Rikers Island, improve safety and the functioning of the criminal justice system, safely reduce the use of unnecessary incarceration, develop state-of-the-art, borough-based jail facilities and secure treatment beds, and repurpose Rikers as a hub of green infrastructure to serve all New Yorkers. 

The Commission, chaired by former Chief Judge of the State of New York Jonathan Lippman, is an independent body of experts, policymakers, and advocates from a variety of backgrounds, including corrections, law enforcement, victims’ services, the judiciary, academia, service providers, business, and those who have spent time behind bars.

Re-appointed by City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams in October 2023, with the full support of Mayor Eric Adams, the Independent Rikers Commission 2.0 will lay out a refreshed blueprint of proven policies to help ensure Rikers closes, in the context of the changed realities of a post-COVID New York City and the law mandating closure by August 31, 2027. The Commission is working with community, criminal justice system, and government stakeholders to develop these enhanced plans and to facilitate their implementation.