CounterPunch Exclusives

CounterPunch Exclusives

What Happens After a Prison Shuts Down?

In New York City, some of the most vulnerable incarcerated people will now have dedicated hospital beds and access to medical care like never before. Earlier this month, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the opening of the city’s first Outposted Therapeutic Housing Unit for incarcerated people at Rikers Island, with two more clinical facilities on the way. It’s part of a larger plan to shut down the infamous Rikers, and another win for the national movement against the prison industrial complex.

Mamdani and the activists and advocates involved are asking the important question: What happens after a prison closure? What can we do now to ensure a smooth transition and help the public imagine the alternatives? Closing down a prison is one piece in the larger picture of decarceration, say the........

© CounterPunch