By Mary Murphy
PIX 11
NEW YORK — In 2009 when Martin Horn left his position as Commissioner of the New York City Department of Corrections, he was already concerned about conditions on Rikers Island—which housed up to 10-thousand inmates in various facilities.
“The work force was being cut, and I think the city cut a little too far,” Horn told PIX11 News on Monday. Horn was especially troubled by the situation at the jail for adolescents.
“When I left, in those housing units, they were down to one officer (in each dorm), and that was not enough,” Horn said of the facility known as RNDC.
“At one time, there were two officers in each dormitory.” Horn noted. “ My successor acquiesced to those cuts, and I think that was a mistake in judgment.” Within a year, Horn said, violent incidents at Rikers had doubled.
Full story: Former NYC corrections commissioner knew Rikers was headed for trouble