Providence House Fights to Close Rikers Island

Providence House is a proud member of the Close Rikers Campaign, which seeks to bring an end to the notorious NYC jail. On January 26th, we stood with over 100 activists and advocates to raise awareness about this important work.

According to Executive Director, Danielle Minelli Pagnotta:
“No one deserves the cruelty that exists within the walls of Rikers Island. Providence House offers housing and support services for women returning from incarceration. We understand the difficulties of reintegration and the trauma caused by Rikers Island. We also see the tremendous transformation that is possible if you treat people with compassion. To truly achieve justice and rehabilitation, we must invest in people and programs, and not failed intuitions that do more harm than good. Housing and community-based program investments are not only ethical, but also fiscally responsible and necessary for a sustainable and effective public safety strategy.”

Providence House has a long tradition helping women successfully return to the community after incarceration. Our Women’s Justice Program has been committed to serving women involved in the criminal justice system since its foundation in 1979 and continues to evolve to meet the changing needs of our community. Over the past 3 years, the program has bolstered a 97% non-recidivism rate saving the taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars.