Inside Rikers During the Coronavirus Outbreak
Health officials are urging people to stay six feet away from others and wash their hands in an effort to prevent the spread of coronavirus. But for over 4,000 inmates currently detained at Rikers Island in New York, thatโs tough to do. VICE News spoke with an inmate at Rikers who described conditions that were cramped and unsanitary. Michael, who did want his last name used in this story, has been incarcerated on a non-violent parole violation since January of this year. And while the New York City Department of Corrections says theyโre distributing cleaning supplies to inmates, Michael says the people in his housing unit havenโt received any.