Death at Rikers: How NYC Judges Fueled the Swelling Jail Population
An analysis by New York Focus and Gothamist/WNYC reveals the judges who set bail most frequently, driving up the jail population as it entered crisis.

This article is part of a joint reporting project from New York Focus and Gothamist/WNYC.




New York Focus revealed routine secret instructions used to guide judges’ decisions. Civil rights lawyers are suing to make them public.
The iconic public defense organization is due back in its Brooklyn office Monday. Attorneys, reporting health complications, say they’ve dreaded the return.
A raucous emergency meeting featured escalating alarm, bewilderment, a hot mic, dueling accusations of conflicts of interest, and a dramatic vote with two surprise twists.
The mayor is putting New York City’s landmark climate and jobs law in jeopardy, our columnist argues.
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