Rikers Island

Torture Island: Glenn Martin on what to do with Rikers

With the horror stories that have come out of Rikers Island, it’s no surprise that the debate over the future of the jail has heated up. The movement to close the complex has gained momentum in no small part due to the work of Glenn Martin, an activist who actually spent time there as an inmate.

“How do you help New Yorkers understand that there is a torture island 200 feet away from LaGuardia Airport that exists in their name,” Martin asked, “with our national progressive mayor standing between us and having a system that we can all be proud of, one that actually responds to victims’ needs?”

RELATED: Jonathan Lippman is radicalized on Rikers

Martin joined the Slant Podcast this week to discuss the problems at Rikers, New York City Mayor Bill de Balsio’s role in the controversy, and his plan to close the jail. You can listen to the full interview below:

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