{"id":10643,"date":"2025-02-03T07:00:14","date_gmt":"2025-02-03T12:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/new-york\/?p=10643"},"modified":"2025-02-03T07:00:14","modified_gmt":"2025-02-03T12:00:14","slug":"people-stuck-on-rikers-island-deemed-unfit-to-stand-trial","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/new-york\/2025\/02\/03\/people-stuck-on-rikers-island-deemed-unfit-to-stand-trial\/","title":{"rendered":"People Stuck on Rikers Island Deemed Unfit to Stand Trial"},"content":{"rendered":"

Scores of People Deemed Unfit to Stand Trial Are Stuck on Rikers Island<\/strong><\/p>\n

At least 127 people found unfit to stand trial by psychiatrists are languishing on Rikers Island because there is no space at state-run mental health facilities, THE CITY has learned.<\/p>\n

Jail insiders say that number has gone up in recent years, after usually hovering around 100. Department of Correction officials have never publicly shared historical data on that figure.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, internal 2024 DOC data obtained by THE CITY shows that detainees deemed unfit to stand trial are stuck behind bars for an average of 80 days \u2013 with 25 people waiting 100 or more days to be sent to a secure medical center. By contrast, it took an average of 70 days last year, according to Zachary Katznelson, executive director of the Independent Rikers Commission, who has reviewed internal Department of Correction data.<\/p>\n

"Rikers Island is the largest mental institution in the city and that shouldn\u2019t be," said a top jail official who asked to remain anonymous because they weren\u2019t given official permission to talk to the media.<\/p>\n

Those 127 people unfit to stand trial are sitting on Rikers as Mayor Eric Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul have separately vowed to boost funding for people with serious mental illness.<\/p>\n

Last year, Hochul added 25 beds in state-run mental health facilities for people facing serious criminal charges. Her proposed executive budget includes funds for a new 100-bed mental hospital on Wards Island and hiring 300 new employees to work at psychiatric centers statewide, according to Justin Mason, a spokesperson for the state\u2019s Office of Mental Health.<\/p>\n

But criminal justice advocates argue the governor\u2019s plan doesn\u2019t add any beds at maximum secure facilities for people coming from jail.<\/p>\n

"It\u2019s got to be a priority for the state system, absolutely," Katznelson said. "And then it\u2019s worth exploring for the city to think about what they can do on their own."<\/p>\n

From \u2018730\u2019 to \u2018Black Hole\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

Before someone stands trial, judges can order them to undergo a what\u2019s called a 730 exam, after the criminal procedure law. The review can be requested by their lawyer or the prosecutor or judge handling the case.<\/p>\n

The entire process can take anywhere from a few weeks in Queens to around four months in Brooklyn, city records show. Meanwhile, the person in jail can\u2019t be forced to take medications and are sometimes so confused \u2014 and afraid \u2014 that they refuse to leave their cells, according to veteran jail officials.<\/p>\n

Rotting in a Jail<\/strong><\/p>\n

Among those awaiting transfer is Arthur E. Walker, who police said fatally stabbed his 60-year-old father, Arthur Walker, inside their Queens apartment in June 2023. A judge found the younger Walker not criminally responsible on November 15 because at the time of the incident he was having a mental health incident.<\/p>\n

But he has waited ever since to be moved to a secure state-run hospital where he will stay until he\u2019s re-evaluated in two years, DOC records show.<\/p>\n

"Unfortunately, people like him, who have not been found guilty of anything, are rotting in a jail, which, of course, is not conducive to any treatment they may need based upon the findings," said his defense attorney, Mark Bederow. "So it\u2019s regrettable, for sure."<\/p>\n

Post-pandemic Spike in Mental Health Issues<\/strong><\/p>\n

The number of city detainees with serious mental illness is rising partly because the overall population is increasing, according to Correction Department records. Approximately 21% of people on Rikers have a serious mental illness, up from 16% in 2023 and 2022, the data reveals.<\/p>\n

"The raw numbers have absolutely gone up," Katznelson said. "Three years ago or so, they\u2019re probably just over 800 people with a serious mental illness in jail, and now we\u2019re at 1,400."<\/p>\n

Nowhere to Go<\/strong><\/p>\n

One top judge in Brooklyn said the judiciary has little recourse because of the lack of space in state facilities.<\/p>\n

Judge Matthew D\u2019Emic, who has overseen the borough\u2019s mental health court for more than 20 years, said one judge has begun ordering jail officials to move people unfit to stand trial to medical facilities within 10 days.<\/p>\n

"I guess it\u2019s more of a suggestion than a direction, even though it\u2019s in an order, because you can\u2019t hold somebody in contempt if they don\u2019t have any place to put them," D\u2019Emic told THE CITY.<\/p>\n

He argued that expanding outpatient restoration programs could reduce the backlog and ultimately save costs.<\/p>\n

"There are answers to this," he said. "One hundred and twenty-seven is not a huge number when you talk about the City of New York. I think this is a very solvable problem."<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n

The situation is dire for those deemed unfit to stand trial. With no space available at state-run mental health facilities, Rikers Island is becoming a black hole for those in need of treatment. While the government has pledged to boost funding for people with serious mental illness, action is needed now to address the crisis.<\/p>\n

FAQs<\/strong><\/p>\n