A U.S. judge on Wednesday said she was leaning toward ordering a federal takeover of New York City's Rikers Island jail complex, after finding the city had failed to improve violent conditions that put inmates and staff at risk.

Judge Laura Taylor Swain found the city in contempt on 18 separate counts, underscoring the city's failure to address issues in its jail system.

US District Judge Laura Taylor Swain in Manhattan said the city had placed incarcerated people in “unconstitutional danger” by failing to comply with 18 separate provisions of court orders pertaining to security,