This week we asked readers their thoughts on the city’s proposal to build borough based jails, including one in Mott Haven, as a way of closing Rikers Island. The plan was recently rejected by the Bronx Borough President.

Why would they put a jail in the boroughs? Where will it be located? If they put the jail here or anywhere else, how will the relationship be between the jail and the residents? I wonder how it will impact the community and its children; for me that’s a problem. They bring the prisoners to the courts? I didn’t know that. I am thinking if they had a place in the neighborhood that’s safe to the community, if they can protect it, then they don’t have to drive them back and forth at a cost of millions of dollars.

Ray Yalley

Kingsbridge

What kind of idiot would come up with an idea like that? An idiot that’s running around Iowa trying to make himself President of the United States? People like that should be thrown in jail on Rikers Island. Absolutely. Because what’s going to end up happening is they’re going to build the jail in the Bronx, but they’re already not building one on Staten Island. They’re probably not going to build one in Queens and they won’t build one in Brooklyn, but they will build one in the Bronx. No good.
Steve Pressman
Kingsbridge

I don’t think they should close Rikers Island. I think it should be maximum security for all these people with rap sheets who are arrested time and time again and they can’t rehabilitate them within the community, so they should keep it open for those types of criminals. I agree with the borough president; they shouldn’t put it there at all. He makes sense this time. And the governor said himself that the plan is not workable to close Rikers Island. Therefore they should keep it open.
Carol Roy
Bedford Park

I feel very conflicted about the proposal to build a prison in Mott Haven. I do not understand why they would choose a densely populated area such as Mott Haven to build a new prison. If they insist on building new prisons, why not choose areas with low population densities such as the outskirts of Hunts Point which is primarily industrial. Furthermore, I wonder if building new prisons will resolve any of the problems at Rikers or if the problems will just be carried into the new jails.
Alice M.
Allerton

Well, for once I’m actually in agreement with the borough president as I don’t believe that that site is appropriate based on all of the recommendations from all of the experts about closing Rikers. I’m against it because the location doesn’t meet the recommendations by the commission who’s been working hard on closing Rikers. The whole point is to have the jail as close as possible to the courthouse…the jail should go right next to the courthouse. There’s been recommendations on using the underutilized family courthouse and that’s actually where it should go, if the goal is to keep the jail close to the courthouse
Ed Garcia Conde
Melrose