Urgent Alert: Holiday Packages to Rikers Likely to Go Missing

UPDATE: As the holiday season approaches, families in New York face a troubling reality: packages sent to loved ones at Rikers Island may never arrive. Public defenders are sounding the alarm about a significant number of deliveries, including essential winter clothing and books, getting lost or rejected by the jail’s mail system.

With the holidays just around the corner, families are eager to send gifts to inmates. However, advocates report that even compliant packages are often delayed for months, arbitrarily rejected, or lost altogether. “This is always a concern during the holidays,” stated Rebecca Kinsella, social work director at Brooklyn Defender Services. “It’s challenging to advise families when accurate information is hard to find.”

The Department of Correction receives between 2,100 and 2,800 packages each month, but approximately 25% contain items deemed non-permissible, leading to frustration for families and legal advocates alike. Many essential items, such as books and clothing without pockets, are rejected without explanation.

“Rikers Island is a secure environment, and occasionally packages present risks,” a spokesperson for the Department of Correction said while failing to address specific concerns raised by advocates. The spokesperson emphasized the need to balance security with the needs of those in custody.

Advocates like Natalie Fiorenzo, a senior corrections specialist at New York County Defender Services, estimate that around 30% of packages sent by her office do not reach the intended recipients. She highlighted the confusion surrounding the department’s policies, which do not always reflect current practices. For instance, updates regarding the allowance of chest binders for gender nonconforming prisoners are not included in the published guidelines.

Fiorenzo recounted her struggle to send a simple pair of sweatpants to a client at the Rose M. Singer Center, the women’s facility. After multiple attempts, the package was finally delivered after a staggering wait of 90 days. “This is not an economy where we can spend $50 sending items that never arrive,” she remarked.

Aubree Aguinaga from Bronx Defenders echoed these sentiments, stating her organization has spent thousands on items that fail to reach clients. “We are talking about necessities during freezing winter months,” she said, underscoring the urgency of the situation.

The issues extend beyond clothing. Attorney Michael Klinger noted that one client was able to receive the first two books of the Harry Potter series but found the third book rejected as “impermissible.” In the end, the client had to borrow it from another inmate, highlighting the absurdity of the situation.

As families scramble to send packages this holiday season, the mounting challenges to ensure their loved ones receive essentials cannot be overstated. Authorities must address these systemic issues to prevent further frustrations and financial losses for families during this critical time.

Stay tuned for updates as this situation develops.