New bill looks to provide services for Rikers inmates

<p>A new bill honoring a man who took his own life after awaiting trial for three years aims to provide services to inmates on Rikers Island. The Kalief Browder Bill was recently passed by the New York City Council. </p>

News 12 Staff

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Aug 25, 2017, 8:37 PM

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Updated 2,436 days ago

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A new bill honoring a man who took his own life after awaiting trial for three years aims to provide services to inmates on Rikers Island.

The Kalief Browder Bill was recently passed by the New York City Council. It’s named for the man who awaited trial for years on Rikers Island before being released when the case was dropped.

Browder later took his own life after dealing with the effects of emotional and physical abuse he experienced while in jail.

The bill would provide services like vocational training, behavioral therapy and substance abuse counseling to inmates after ten days incarcerated. Currently, those services are typically reserved only for those who have been sentenced.

Rev. Que English works with former inmates trying to turn their life around. She thinks that these resources are a step in the right direction, but a bigger issue still looms.

“Even if they have to be there 10 days, a month or years, let get them services and look at the need to get them out quicker,” says English.

The Kalief Browder Bill will next go to the Mayor’s Office for final approval.