In a court ruling earlier this month, a judge ruled that the city will no longer have control over Rikers Island jail, and an independent receiver will be brought in to oversee it.

News 12 reached out to the Legal Aid Society who praised the court’s decision.

"We commend the court’s historic decision to appoint an independent receiver to end the culture of brutality in the City’s jails. For years, the New York City Department of Correction has failed to follow federal court orders to enact meaningful reforms, allowing violence, disorder, and systemic dysfunction to persist in the jails. This appointment marks a critical turning point—an overdue acknowledgment that City leadership has proven unable to protect the safety and constitutional rights of incarcerated individuals."

News 12 spoke with Brooklyn mother Kimberly, whose son is currently at Rikers Island.

"My son has been jumped over 13 times. There are rats, it's cold, he's always complaining," she said.

She said her son also has epilepsy and often lacks the medical attention that he needs.

"Just because you did something bad doesn’t mean that you have to be treated like an animal," said Kimberly.

The jail has been riddled with complaints of living conditions and deaths over the years. Kyung-Ji Rhee, co-executive director of the Center for NuLeadership on Human Justice and Healing, says it's been a long-standing issue.

“This speaks to what we've been saying for decades. It signals utter abject failure and disregard," said Rhee.

While they both say the independent receivership is a step in the right direction, Kimberly says she wants to make sure their voices are heard in the new oversight.

“Talk to us, do some groundwork, the families, the people in prison, the people that just came home. Like, what could we do to make a change? Don't just think for us, talk to us," said Kimberly.

Kimberly said it's not just those inside Rikers Island who are impacted by its conditions. She said her son has siblings and a child of his own.

“It affects children, affects families, it affects my son. He’s somebody, you know, regardless of the decision they decide to make, he is somebody he could change that around," said Kimberly.

The next steps are for the judge to provide feedback on a remediation manager. After that, the court has until Aug. 29 to come up with candidates for the position, and then ultimately deciding on who to appoint.