A Short Life Ends on Rikers Island, in a Place Where Suicide Isn't Supposed to Happen

Morello says that the 23-hour lock-in doesn't necessarily mean that the inmates are in their cells 23 hours a day. They receive the same out-of-cell activities as other inmates, and they're allowed to watch television in adjoining plexiglass cells.

"The suicides that have occurred since Commissioner Horn took office at the beginning of 2003 total 25 percent fewer than in the equal number of years prior to the start of this tenure," Morello says. But he declined to state the exact number of officers assigned to a given shift in the protective-custody unit on security grounds.

Ken Garduno

Details

ALSO
The Jail Interview Steven Morales Gave to Columbia Grads
by Molly Messick and Sarah Morgan

Related Content

• FDA Considering "Lady Viagra"
  May 24, 2010
• "RNAi Cocktail" Blocks Herpes in Mice
  January 21, 2009
• Revolutionary War
  January 9, 2007
• Trouble in the Air
  October 17, 2006
• Coffee and a Muffin
  January 6, 2004

More About

• State Commission of Correction
• Harvard Medical School
• Suicide
• Prisons

Like this Story?

Sign up for the Weekly Newsletter: (Sent out every Thursday) Our weekly feature stories, movie reviews, calendar picks and more - minus the newsprint and sent directly to your inbox.

Privacy Policy Cancel Continue

For now, the investigation into Morales's death at Rikers continues. Heredia is mulling whether to file a notice of claim against the city.

"Everyone failed this kid, and now the correction system has failed him too," Solano says.