Eric Adams Says He Wants to Close Rikers. It May Not Be That Simple.

The incoming mayor’s anti-crime ideas appear to conflict with a push to cut the jail population, clouding the future of plans to close the troubled complex.

As the Rikers Island jail complex descended into chaos this year, Eric Adams was clear: If elected, he would back Mayor Bill de Blasio’s watershed plan to close the notorious facility by 2027 and replace it with newer, smaller lockups across New York City.

But as Mr. Adams prepares to take office, his support for closing Rikers appears increasingly to be on a collision course with his promises to crack down on crime and accommodate local leaders’ opposition to the new jail sites.

It is unclear how, or if, the measure will survive the impact.