Rikers Island Former Inmate Maksim Grinberg Wants to Solve Humanitarian Crisis

Rikers Island has been under scrutiny year after year for several reasons including, but not limited to, extreme neglect. The situation at Rikers Island has intensified in the past few months due to COVID, which spurred as can be seen through an unusual amount of deaths as of late, most of which were suicides. Other deaths were allegedly due to inmates not having access or being seen by medical professionals. Rikers Island former inmate Maksim Grinberg saw firsthand how the conditions were at Rikers, when he served time there and wants to solve the current humanitarian crisis that has been a longstanding issue on the island.

After his release, Maksim Grinberg has dedicated himself to giving back and helping others. Maksim is known for being conscious, responsible, and, most importantly, active when it comes to alleviating the suffering of those who need it most. “People should not be treated how they are treated in this place [Rikers Island],” Maksim Grinberg said. “The conditions have clearly not improved and I saw how bad it was. This place was worse than anyone can imagine and it should be shut down. I will try to do everything I can to help in this effort.”