Groups Urge City to Fund Rikers Alternatives
More than 70 criminal justice organizations are asking Mayor Zohran Mamdani to shift $35 million toward crime prevention, diversion and reentry.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Criminal Justice
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Should New York City spend more on jail alternatives and reentry programs than on jails?
The Close Rikers Campaign, which includes over 70 criminal justice, social justice and legal organizations, urged Mayor Zohran Mamdani to shift at least $35 million in the city budget to crime prevention, diversion and reentry programs. City officials have acknowledged that the legal deadline to close Rikers Island by August 2027 cannot be met.
Why it matters
Rikers Island's population of about 6,661 detainees remains roughly the same as a year earlier, and the four borough-based replacement jails are not expected to all be completed until at least 2032. The groups argue that dozens of New Yorkers are sent to Rikers weekly while waiting for community-based supports, so funding alternatives now could reduce the population sooner.
The groups sent a letter urging funding in the November financial plan, and the mayor's office said City Hall will review the proposals. More than 770 uniformed officer vacancies exist at the Department of Correction, and the groups propose redirecting some of that budget to fund their requests.
The players
Zohran Mamdani
Mayor of New York City, who received the coalition's letter and whose office said City Hall would review the proposals.
Close Rikers Campaign
A coalition of more than 70 criminal justice, social justice and legal organizations advocating for the closure of Rikers Island and investment in community alternatives.
The details
The coalition asked for $20 million for 650 housing units for justice-involved people with mental illness, $10 million for alternative-to-incarceration programs, $10 million for reentry services, $1.7 million for an outpatient competency restoration pilot, and $3.5 million to open four crisis respite centers. The groups proposed funding some requests by eliminating uniformed officer vacancies in the Department of Correction budget.
Timeline
November 2026: Campaign letter sent to the mayor urging funding in the November financial plan.
Later in November 2026: City releases its updated spending plan.
August 2027: Legal deadline to close Rikers Island, which city officials say cannot be met.
2032: Expected completion of all four borough-based replacement jails.
Legal Context
The August 2027 closure requirement set by city law now faces an acknowledged shortfall, as the replacement borough-based jails are not expected to be finished until at least 2032. The coalition's push reflects a broader debate over whether diversion and reentry programs can reduce the jail population before permanent replacement facilities open.
Funding community alternatives could change how many people are held at Rikers while they await court dates, affecting families and neighborhoods that send residents there. The outcome of the budget review will determine which diversion, housing and reentry services become available to people leaving or avoiding jail in New York City.
The takeaway
Funding alternatives to incarceration is one of the few levers the city has to reduce the Rikers population before the borough jails open. Readers following the issue should watch whether the November spending plan includes the requested diversion and reentry dollars.
What happens next
City officials are expected to release the updated spending plan later in November 2026, which will show whether the coalition's requests are funded.
Further reading
For more on how the city handles pretrial detention and jail alternatives, see Criminal Justice.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Queens Daily Eagle.
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Should New York City spend more on jail alternatives and reentry programs than on jails?
