The buildings of the jail at Rikers Island, New York City.
Just call them the Department of (Fashion) Corrections.
New York City’s main jail is cracking down on inappropriately-dressed visitors. While a dress code for the prison is nothing new, guests will no longer be turned away at the door if they’re wearing short skirts or low-cut tops. Instead, they’ll be covered up in a gaudy green coverall that comes in just one size – XXL.
Rikers Island officials implemented the new dress code in an attempt to maintain a family-friendly environment. In the past, scantily-clad visitors have sparked desire in inmates, leading to, well, inappropriate contact in the public visitation areas. “We are trying to keep this a G-rated experience,” Sharman Stein, a spokeswoman for the Department of Corrections, explained to Reuters.
(PHOTOS: Inside Rikers Island)
The fluorescent green jumpers will help cover up what shouldn’t be seen, but perhaps they’ll also help reveal what some visitors hope to hide. The long, brightly colored outfit will almost certainly draw a guard’s attention if a guest tries to reach under it to retrieve a smuggled item. Rikers also bans the wearing of too much clothing, in an attempt to keep out contraband.
In any case, we hope the neon green smocks will help brighten up what’s surely a drab environment.