How Rikers Island Jail Actually Works | How Crime Works | Insider

Vidal Guzman is a campaigner and spokesperson based in NYC. He was a former member of the east coast Bloods, and was incarcerated on Rikers Island when he was 16 and then returned when he was 19. Vidal discusses the conditions inside the New York City facility. He mentions corrupt guards, gang-controlled phones, contraband, and how illegal goods are smuggled in. He speaks about the history of the notorious US jail system, how Rikers Island itself came to be built, and the need for reform. He also addresses myths about Rikers being a “prison,“ and who is incarcerated there. Vidal is a prominent voice in the Close Rikers campaign, and the executive director of America On Trial. He is the founder of End Qualified Immunity in NY, and #FixThe13thNY Campaigns. He left the criminal justice system aged 24, and started working with food truck initiative Drive Change, before becoming a criminal justice campaigner. Find him here: And his Instagram: @Iamvidalguzman