Rikers Island is one of the world's most notorious jails — here's what it's actually like

Vidal Guzman is a campaigner and spokesperson living in New York City. He was incarcerated on Rikers Island when he was 16 and returned when he was 19. He was a member of the East Coast Bloods. Guzman discusses the gangs, violence, and conditions inside the prison. He mentions corrupt guards, gang-controlled phones, contraband, and how illegal goods are smuggled inside. He speaks about the history of the notorious US jail system, how Rikers Island itself came to be built, and the need for reform. New York City is required to close Rikers Island by 2027. Guzman is a prominent voice in the Close Rikers campaign and the executive director of America on Trial. He is the founder of the End Qualified Immunity in NY and #FixThe13thNY campaigns. He left the criminal justice system at 24, and started working with the food-truck initiative Drive Change before becoming a criminal justice campaigner. Find him here: www.vidalguzman.org And on Instagram: @Iamvidalguzman