New York City has cast off a notorious floating jail that was dubbed a "modern-day slave ship" by critics. The massive 625-foot-long facility, which had been serving as an overflow prison for three decades, was finally unmoored and towed away to be scrapped in Louisiana.
The barge, known as the Vernon C. Bain Correctional Center, had become synonymous with problems within the city's criminal justice system, particularly regarding bail policies that disproportionately affect minority communities. For years, it housed tens of thousands of people who couldn't afford bail, leading to deplorable conditions and even death on board.
Critics have long argued that the facility was a symbol of neglect and failure to deliver justice in the city. Juval O. Scott, executive director of the Bronx Defenders, called the jail an "unjust relic" that served as a "modern-day slave ship owned by the city of New York." The conditions on board were said to be appalling, with multiple deaths reported among detainees.
Despite the facility's troubled history, officials had announced plans to dismantle and sell it for scrap in 2022. However, the process was delayed due to weather and heavy vessel traffic in the East River. After months of waiting, tugboats finally set off on the arduous journey to Louisiana, where the barge is expected to take more than two weeks to reach.
The facility's removal marks a significant shift for the city, as it will be repurposed as a future marine terminal alongside the Fulton Fish Market Cooperative. This initiative aims to move some of the city's freight traffic away from trucks and onto cargo boats as part of the "Blue Highways" program.
While the departure of the Vernon C. Bain Correctional Center is being celebrated by some, others have expressed concerns about the city's progress on addressing its criminal justice system issues. The construction of new jails, which are years behind schedule and billions over budget, raises questions about whether real change has been achieved. As one council member noted, "A barge that symbolized neglect, suffering, and the city's failure to deliver justice now drifts into history. May its removal mark not just an ending – but a beginning for real change."
The barge, known as the Vernon C. Bain Correctional Center, had become synonymous with problems within the city's criminal justice system, particularly regarding bail policies that disproportionately affect minority communities. For years, it housed tens of thousands of people who couldn't afford bail, leading to deplorable conditions and even death on board.
Critics have long argued that the facility was a symbol of neglect and failure to deliver justice in the city. Juval O. Scott, executive director of the Bronx Defenders, called the jail an "unjust relic" that served as a "modern-day slave ship owned by the city of New York." The conditions on board were said to be appalling, with multiple deaths reported among detainees.
Despite the facility's troubled history, officials had announced plans to dismantle and sell it for scrap in 2022. However, the process was delayed due to weather and heavy vessel traffic in the East River. After months of waiting, tugboats finally set off on the arduous journey to Louisiana, where the barge is expected to take more than two weeks to reach.
The facility's removal marks a significant shift for the city, as it will be repurposed as a future marine terminal alongside the Fulton Fish Market Cooperative. This initiative aims to move some of the city's freight traffic away from trucks and onto cargo boats as part of the "Blue Highways" program.
While the departure of the Vernon C. Bain Correctional Center is being celebrated by some, others have expressed concerns about the city's progress on addressing its criminal justice system issues. The construction of new jails, which are years behind schedule and billions over budget, raises questions about whether real change has been achieved. As one council member noted, "A barge that symbolized neglect, suffering, and the city's failure to deliver justice now drifts into history. May its removal mark not just an ending – but a beginning for real change."
Ah, finally! That floating hellhole is gone from our East River waters 
. I'm not surprised it took this long to scrap that toxic piece of NYC's history 
. 30 years is way too long for people to be held in deplorable conditions and even die on board 
. It's no wonder Juval O. Scott called it a "modern-day slave ship" 
.
. Removing that facility is definitely a step in the right direction, but what about those new jails that are supposed to be built? They're still years behind schedule and billions over budget 
. I hope this facility's departure really does mark a beginning for real change, not just a temporary fix 
.
. But let's not forget that there are still so many systemic issues within NYC's criminal justice system that need to be tackled 
. Fingers crossed that this facility's removal is just the start of something bigger 
.
. Like, who even thought building a prison on a barge was a good idea? I mean, it's not like it didn't have a history of problems... tens of thousands of people living in deplorable conditions? Multiple deaths reported? It's crazy to think that the city actually considered this place a viable solution for their criminal justice system 
. And now they're just gonna slap a new name on it and repurpose it as some kind of cargo terminal? Like, what even is the point? They just delayed the inevitable by months because of weather and traffic congestion... I'm not exactly feeling optimistic about this whole "beginning" thing 
The fact that NYC finally got rid of this notorious floating jail is a huge step forward! 
But let's look at the stats, shall we? 
According to a 2022 report by the Vera Institute of Justice, the average length of stay for inmates on the Vernon C. Bain Correctional Center was over 8 months, with some staying up to 3 years 
. That's an absolute waste of resources! 
Not to mention the human toll – 15 reported deaths during the facility's operation is a staggering number 
.
According to a study by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), cargo ships account for about 2% of global greenhouse gas emissions 
. Any progress there would be a huge win! 
.
Finally! The NYC floating jail is gone 
, and I'm low-key relieved 
. It was always a symbol of the city's broken bail policies and neglect of its most vulnerable communities. I mean, 625 feet long? That's just insane 
.
. So, while I'm glad to see the Vernon C. Bain Correctional Center disappear into history, I want to see real progress on addressing those underlying issues 
, but let's not get too distracted from the bigger picture 
. This facility may be gone, but its legacy lives on... and we need to keep pushing for meaningful reform 
.
anyway, its kinda cool that the city is gonna repurpose it as a marine terminal or something 
glad it's gone, hope the repurposing is done right tho, don't wanna be stuck with more of the same issues 
but at the same time, is this really an example of progress if we're just building new prisons that are even more expensive and behind schedule 
A barge that was basically a symbol of the city's neglect and failure... now it's just being tossed into history like nothing matters? 
But then again, maybe this is a step in the right direction? 
I don't know, man...
. It's crazy to think about how long it took for something like this to happen - three decades of neglect and abuse is just unacceptable. And now that it's gone, it raises more questions than answers... are we really making progress on addressing the issues within our justice system? The fact that new jails are still years behind schedule and billions over budget is just frustrating 
. I guess only time will tell if this marks a genuine shift towards change or just another Band-Aid solution 
. All those years, people were stuck on that barge, and the city just let it sit there? Unacceptable 
. And don't even get me started on the bail policies – it's no wonder those numbers were skewed towards minority communities 
. But what really matters is that they're actually doing something about the underlying issues, like the new marine terminal and the "Blue Highways" program 
. It's not just about moving stuff from one place to another – it's about making real changes to the system 
.
. I mean, I'm glad they're finally taking responsibility, but what about all those years of people suffering on that barge? 
it's about time we get rid of this toxic piece of infrastructure... I mean, who needs a floating jail in their city? 
. But seriously, 30 years is way too long for people to be stuck in those deplorable conditions 
. It's about time our officials got their act together and made some real changes. Now, let's see how they follow up on this progress with actual reforms to the criminal justice system 
. And btw, can we please just get some new jails that aren't years behind schedule and billions over budget? 
To the council member who pointed out that this is just the beginning of a new chapter for NYC: couldn't agree more