These Walls

Which is why, when Mayor Bill De Blasio announced in 2017 that Rikers would be closed within the next decade, replaced with new buildings designed to reflect new outlooks on mass incarceration and prisoner rehabilitation, the decision seemed to be a step towards a more humane, more understanding future. It sounded like an unalloyed good to many, including Architectural Digest writer Eva Fedderly, who was leading the magazine's coverage of the closure. But, as she dug deeper and spoke to more people in the different populations surrounding and participating directly in the debate, she discovered that the consensus was hardly universal. Many told her that new jails wouldn't solve anything -- but what could were more programs outside of jails, more equity, and alternative ways to deal with crime. People needed to be given the tools to succeed. Only then could violence, racism, and crime in America subside. So why was no one listening?