Rikers Island Inmates

Everybody has an idea of what life is like in jail or prison. Unless you have actually visited (as an inmate or otherwise), though, you probably lean heavily on the pictures that have been drawn by the mainstream media about life behind bars.

However, no jail seems quite as inaccessible to regular people as Rikers Island, an autonomous jail-island located about six miles north of downtown NYC. So what really goes on inside Rikers Island? Is the jail violent, or more laid-back in the usual county-jail fashion?

Violence

Violence is not unheard of in Rikers Island, but most people who have been there report that violence is something that can be avoided if you know how to act (and, probably more important, how not to act). By keeping to yourself and avoiding any conflicts, most people will be just fine in Rikers Island and not have anything to worry about.

Most of the violence that does occur is usually triggered by gang affiliations (though even most gang members usually come into jail with the understanding that they have to find some way to co-exist with rival gangs peacefully).

If you or somebody you know is headed to Rikers Island one of your priorities needs to be meeting somebody who can explain the "house gang's" rules. The "house gang" pretty much runs the place - they are inmates who have been entrusted by jail officials to take care of certain operational details. The house gang are like trustees in other jails, but they seem to wield more power even - they can reduce the amount of food you receive when you first arrive and in a sense seem to run the jail (with the guards blessings).

In jail you have a lot of free time - pretty much the only requirements are that you eat two meals per day (three are provided) and you clean when the guards (or house gang) instructs you to. Pretty much all the rest of your time is extra time.

Your range of entertainment options really varies based on your location within the island. The "island" is more like a city of inmates, with different classifications of inmates located in different places. So if you are 16-18, you will not be housed in an area with older inmates (this is a curse and a blessing - the idea is to protect the younger inmates, but in general these are the ones more prone to violence since they have not learned the unspoken rules of incarceration yet).

You can expect to be able to play cards (no gambling is technically permitted though it is very common), watch television and work-out. If you are minimum security you will probably have the option to go outside quite a bit and even go to a workout area (complete with weights). Basketball, football and a track are also available for those lucky enough to be housed in C95.

What not to do

In pretty much every jail, but especially Rikers Island, you want to go into jail willing to stand up for yourself if you need to, but not running your mouth and acting like a bad-ass. That is the one thing you can do that will likely lead to you being singled out for a fight or attack.

Also, if you are ever in an area when a riot breaks out (don't worry, these are very uncommon), just try to stay away from the crowd as much as possible. A lot of the violence associated with riots is just unintentional - people are in the wrong place at the wrong time.

What to do

Coffee is really popular in Rikers Island. After classification you should be placed in an area with commissary privileges. You should buy a little coffee and share it with a few people when you've had a chance to feel out your fellow inmates and make a few friends. Be careful with this, though - don't share with just anybody and don't share too much. You don't want to be labeled as a punk willing to give your stuff up to just anyone.

The same is true with phone calls, though you should be even more careful not to be too generous with allowing people to make phone calls on your account. Giving away a few here and there to your better friends, though, will go a long way to reinforcing your friendships and sending a message to other inmates that you have somebody willing to stick up for you if they need to.