Rethinking Rikers and the Role of the Courts

GC Public Programs

Part of the series Jail Reform, Safety, and Justice in NYC

Skylight Room, The Graduate Center

The horrific conditions at Rikers Island were highlighted by the case of Kalief Browder, who died in 2015 after being held for three years without a trial. According to a recent watchdog report, Rikers is more “unstable and unsafe” than ever, and the average time a person spends there is growing. Experts discuss how the courts can decrease case-processing time to reduce jail time for those awaiting trial, and how it helps both those inside the jail and the community.Featuring: Akeem Browder, founder of the Kalief Browder Foundation; Honorable George A. Grasso, administrative judge for Queens County Supreme Court; and Jan Ransom, investigative reporter for The New York Times. Moderated by Michael Jacobson, executive director, CUNY Institute for State &amp; Local Governance.In-person attendees will be checked in at the door. Visitors to the Graduate Center must provide proof that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or have had a negative COVID-19 molecular (PCR) test performed by an accredited lab taken no more than seven days prior to the visit. One-day visitors may submit proof of vaccination by presenting either a CDC Vaccination Card or the NYS Excelsior Pass or supplying proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test by presenting a copy of the lab results.CUNY students, faculty, and staff must comply with the University’s <a href="https://www.cuny.edu/coronavirus/faqs/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">vaccine policies</a>. Faculty, staff, and students with verified proof of vaccination will use the <a href="https://cunyithelp.cuny.edu/csp?id=kb_search&query=&spa=1&kb_category=bab65150db1a7450887a92c5d4961937&tags=b0887975db89905017f76ce2ca96197b" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">CUNY Access Pass in Cleared4</a> to enter the Graduate Center. Please follow the steps outlined in the <a href="https://www.gc.cuny.edu/news/building-entry-policy" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Building Entry Policy</a>.Please see <a href="https://www.gc.cuny.edu/news/building-entry-policy" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Building Entry Policy</a> for more information.

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