“The nicknames that it has, the Bridge of Pain, Gladiator School, Torture Island, the name speaks for itself.”Those are the words of former Rikers inmate Vidal Guzman. When NBC reporter Lester Holt asked another former inmate how he would describe Rikers Island, the answer was simple: “Hell. Plain and simple. Hell.”Welcome to Rikers Island in New York City, a place where detainees await their trials. Although it’s technically a jail, inmates often spend more than a few days there. Some spend weeks, others years.From overpopulation, understaffing, gang violence and fight clubs to corruption and neglect, Rikers Island can change anyone who crosses its Bridge of Pain.After getting picked up and handcuffed, you’re brought onto a bus with other detainees. You cross the Bridge of Pain and are escorted to your new home for the foreseeable future.First, you wait to be processed and are held in intake units, which can sometimes be crammed with dozens of detainees. Although you’re only supposed to be there for 24 hours at most, you may spend days inside a cramped holding cell with a cardboard bed and an overflowing toilet.In 2021, detainees waiting to be sent to their cells even had to use plastic bags as toilets.Your cell isn’t much better. It has an iron toilet, a rock hard bed and no heat, meaning freezing temperatures during the winter. And you may not even get an hour of recreation time outside your cell.But fights, stabbings or staff shortages can cancel recreation without warning. Surveillance footage has shown attempted stabbings and inmate organized fight nights where some detainees were forced to participate.Then there’s the food. Lunch is either served in a mess hall or handed through a slot in your cell on a plastic tray. The meals mainly consist of frozen processed foods like pizza pockets and burritos.Chicken day is reportedly the most popular and territorial. You’d better build some strong allies if you want to avoid getting jumped for your drumstick.Violence is always close by. You might hear about slashings with homemade blades, see the aftermath of beatdowns in the hall or watch officers rushing to pull inmates apart.If you want to survive, you have to figure out quickly which crews run your unit. Keeping a low profile, being respectful and avoiding unnecessary attention can become essential.Gangs have also gained enormous influence inside Rikers. In 2022, a report described how a leader of the Dominican gang Trinitarios virtually ran an entire cellblock, with inmates following his rules instead of those of the staff.And the problems don’t always come from inmates. Former correctional officers and inmates have described corruption, contraband smuggling and officers becoming involved in fights and other misconduct.Even at night, the noise doesn’t stop. Men shout, bang on doors and scream threats, making sleep a rare luxury. For some people, surviving Rikers means losing a piece of themselves.And that’s what makes Rikers Island one of America’s most notorious jails.