A “Hellhole” With a Foul History
According to The New York Times, the “vast majority” of Rikers’ inmates have not been tried and are presumed innocent. The place is widely considered a “hellhole,” and city officials are considering shutting it down permanently. How did it get to this point?
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It is named after Abraham Rycken, a Dutch settler who took possession of the island in 1664. His descendants, the Ricker family, owned Rikers Island until 1884, after which it was sold to the city of New York for $180,000. Rikers indeed has a story to tell (well, thousands to be more accurate), and its history is foul to say the least.