As clergy and people of faith and conscience, we back New York Governor Cuomo and NYC City Council President Melissa Mark-Viverito calling on you to close Rikers, and redirect the $208,500/year it costs to house each inmate into restorative criminal justice programs across New York City’s five boroughs. When 16-year-old Kalief Browder was sent to Rikers in May 2010 for allegedly stealing a backpack, his family could not afford the $10,000 bail.
