Holiday Cheer at Rikers: A Package's Journey from Hope to Heartbreak
As families across New York scramble to get gifts for loved ones on Rikers Island this holiday season, public defenders are sounding the alarm about a troubling trend: packages often don't make it to their intended recipients.
Despite following rules and guidelines outlined by the Department of Correction, many deliveries get caught up in the jail's mail system and never arrive. Packages are delayed for months, rejected for arbitrary reasons, or lost entirely – leaving people inside without essentials during the coldest months of the year and families out of money they've spent on items that never make it.
"It's really difficult for us to guide families and provide advice about what they can and can't send when no one has a source of information that seems accurate," said Rebecca Kinsella, social work director at Brooklyn Defender Services. "With the holidays coming up, this is always a concern."
The problem speaks to a larger issue: a department that doesn't follow its own rules. The Department of Correction's policies add to the confusion, as its main list of permissible items mirrors a directive dated 2016, but neither reflects what officers enforce.
In theory, prisoners are notified when an item is rejected and given the option of having it returned to sender at their own expense, donated or destroyed – but this rarely happens. Instead, items that should be permitted, like books, colored pencils, or pants without pockets, are rejected with no explanation and never returned.
The issue isn't limited to clothing. One client reading Harry Potter was able to receive the first two books, but not the third installment. The client had to borrow the book from another person in his housing unit to finish reading it.
For families, these failures can be devastating. "We are talking about items that are meant to meet the needs of clients during the freezing cold months when the housing areas are not properly heated or in the summer when the temperatures in the facilities are unbearable," said Aubree Aguinaga with Bronx Defenders.
The financial burden of failed deliveries is also a concern, as families lose money they've spent on items that never make it. "I can only imagine how frustrating and money-consuming that is for the families of our clients," said Fiorenzo, senior corrections specialist at New York County Defender Services.
As families across New York scramble to get gifts for loved ones on Rikers Island this holiday season, public defenders are sounding the alarm about a troubling trend: packages often don't make it to their intended recipients.
Despite following rules and guidelines outlined by the Department of Correction, many deliveries get caught up in the jail's mail system and never arrive. Packages are delayed for months, rejected for arbitrary reasons, or lost entirely – leaving people inside without essentials during the coldest months of the year and families out of money they've spent on items that never make it.
"It's really difficult for us to guide families and provide advice about what they can and can't send when no one has a source of information that seems accurate," said Rebecca Kinsella, social work director at Brooklyn Defender Services. "With the holidays coming up, this is always a concern."
The problem speaks to a larger issue: a department that doesn't follow its own rules. The Department of Correction's policies add to the confusion, as its main list of permissible items mirrors a directive dated 2016, but neither reflects what officers enforce.
In theory, prisoners are notified when an item is rejected and given the option of having it returned to sender at their own expense, donated or destroyed – but this rarely happens. Instead, items that should be permitted, like books, colored pencils, or pants without pockets, are rejected with no explanation and never returned.
The issue isn't limited to clothing. One client reading Harry Potter was able to receive the first two books, but not the third installment. The client had to borrow the book from another person in his housing unit to finish reading it.
For families, these failures can be devastating. "We are talking about items that are meant to meet the needs of clients during the freezing cold months when the housing areas are not properly heated or in the summer when the temperatures in the facilities are unbearable," said Aubree Aguinaga with Bronx Defenders.
The financial burden of failed deliveries is also a concern, as families lose money they've spent on items that never make it. "I can only imagine how frustrating and money-consuming that is for the families of our clients," said Fiorenzo, senior corrections specialist at New York County Defender Services.
it's like the system is against them already. u would think the department of correction would follow their own rules, but clearly not 
. how can they expect ppl 2 guide families w/ accurate info when no one knows what's gonna happen? this is a total mess 
I mean, can't they just follow their own rules? It's like trying to find a decent Wi-Fi signal in a crowded coffee shop – it's just not happening. And what's up with the rejection policy? "Oh, you sent us a book? Sorry, buddy, we're gonna keep it and give you a cookie instead." No, seriously, though, this is heartbreak for people stuck inside those facilities during winter or summer when they need some basic comforts 
I'm so done with this 
Rikers Island mail system! It's like they're trying to make things harder for people inside. First off, packages get lost or delayed for months? That's not just a minor inconvenience, that's a basic human right being denied. And what really gets me is the lack of transparency - no one knows when an item is rejected and why. I mean, come on, if they're gonna reject something, at least have the decency to return it or notify the sender.
Rikers Island gotcha! 
Packages are like " Bah humbug!" to those inside 
. Families are literally left high and dry because the department can't even follow its own rules 
. And the excuse that "no one has accurate information" sounds like a cop-out 
. I mean, come on, if you're gonna have rules, stick to them! It's not exactly rocket science 
.
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. We need better communication and transparency from the Department of Correction. Until then, I'll be over here, shaking my head in frustration 
.
i mean, how hard is it to follow the rules? 
and what's with the lack of communication from the department? shouldn't they be telling people when something gets rejected or lost? 
. I mean, what's the point of having a list of allowed items if no one is enforcing it? 
. What's going on with the Department of Correction? Don't they have better systems in place? 
It's time for them to step up and make things right 
.