Rikers Island

Rikers Island is New York City's primary jail complex, situated on a 413-acre island in the East River between Queens and the Bronx. Operated by the New York City Department of Correction, the complex houses multiple individual jails serving different populations — men, women, adolescents, and those with specific medical or mental health needs. On any given day, the island holds anywhere from 5,000 to 8,000 people, the vast majority of whom are in pretrial detention awaiting court proceedings. New York City has announced plans to close Rikers Island and replace it with a network of smaller borough-based facilities, though the transition is ongoing and the main complex remains in operation.

Communication at Rikers Island operates through New York City DOC contracts with GTL. Phone calls, video visitation, and electronic messaging all run through GTL's platform, which means families only need a single account to access multiple services. For phone calls, families can set up a GTL prepaid account or a direct-bill account linked to their phone number. Video visits are available and can be scheduled remotely through the GTL app or website, which is a significant convenience for families who cannot easily travel to the island in person. Electronic messaging — referred to as IntelliMail within the GTL system — allows families to send messages that are printed and delivered to the inmate as paper correspondence.

One important distinction for families is that Rikers Island houses people under NYC DOC jurisdiction, not New York State DOCCS. This means JPay — which is used for state facilities — is not the right platform for Rikers inmates. Using JPay to try to reach someone at Rikers will not work. Similarly, if a loved one is transferred from Rikers to a state facility upstate, the provider will change and a new account may be needed. Confirming the current facility and jurisdiction before setting up any accounts is always the right first step when someone is newly detained or has been transferred.