00:00Andrew Cuomo wants to tear down Rikers Island's rundown jails and build new jails.
00:05There's nothing wrong with the land that is Rikers Island.
00:09As part of his bid for New York City mayor in 2025, Cuomo is proposing a controversial plan.
00:14Knock down the old buildings, which are decrepit.
00:18And replace them with modern correctional facilities on the same site.
00:22This plan stands in direct contrast to the current initiative to close Rikers entirely by 2027.
00:27A plan Cuomo says is behind schedule, over budget, and logistically flawed.
00:31He argues that rebuilding on-site is the most practical way to address crime and improve conditions for both staff and incarcerated people.
00:38He also wants to redirect the borough-based jail sites originally planned for Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and the Bronx to build affordable housing instead.
00:45And supporters online say a new facility could reduce violence, offer better oversight, and avoid the logistical and financial challenges of relocating incarcerated people to borough-based jails.
00:54But critics like mayoral candidate Zoran Mamdani oppose any investment in Rikers, citing its long history of abuse, environmental toxicity, neglect, and systematic failure.
01:03They argue that rebuilding simply perpetuates a broken system, and instead call for closing Rikers entirely, shifting resources toward community-based alternatives, and implementing other methods such as restorative justice.
01:14The New York mayoral race is unfolding fast, and we're tracking every twist and turn, so stay up to date by going to san.com or download the Straight Arrow News app.
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