“The Boat” Sailed Away: New York City’s Latest Compliance with the Plan to Close Rikers

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“The Boat” Sailed Away: New York City’s Latest Compliance with the Plan to Close Rikers

On Nov. 3, New York City finally said goodbye to Vernon C. Bain Center, better known as “The Boat.”   The 625-foot floating jail opened in 1992 due to the increasing rates of incarceration during the crack epidemic. Amidst the peak of the War on Drugs, the jail population in NYC skyrocketed to 22,000 people, and the boat was a temporary solution to combat Rikers Island’s severe overcrowding. When the overall population decreased to 18,000, The B…