Statements from Mayor de Blasio, Corporation Counsel Zach Carter and DOC Commissioner Joe Ponte on Nunez Settlement

June 22, 2015

Statement from Mayor de Blasio:
 
“Today’s settlement builds upon the important changes this administration is bringing to our correctional system and reinforces the necessity of Commissioner Ponte’s current reforms on Rikers Island. We have a moral imperative to ensure every New Yorker in this city’s care is treated with decency and respect. I appointed Commissioner Ponte to bring real change to a correctional system plagued by years of abuse and neglect, and since his tenure he has taken extraordinary steps to reform Rikers Island and end this culture of violence. Today’s agreement represents another strong step toward our goal of reversing the decades of abuse on Rikers and building a culture of safety for officers and inmates alike."
 
Statement from Corporation Counsel Zach Carter:
 
“Today we have informed the court that we have reached an agreement on a package of reforms that support the City’s goal of making Rikers Island the safest possible environment for both inmates and Department of Correction staff. The settlement is the result of a prodigious effort on the part of all parties to reach agreement on a system of operational reforms that are both effective and achievable and that ensure that accountability and operational control of Rikers rests with the Commissioner of the Department of Correction.”
 
Statement from Department of Correction Commissioner Joe Ponte:
 
“All parties involved in these negotiations share a common goal: We are determined to make New York City’s Department of Correction the best and safest correctional institution in the country. Our comprehensive program to reform DOC is well under way, and today’s agreement will help us achieve our shared goal of creating a culture of safety on Rikers Island. We look forward to implementing all elements of the agreement, and pledge to work closely with the federal monitor as we further establish a culture of safety at DOC.”