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.

A federal judge is likely to employ a rarely used remedy to try to fix longstanding problems in the city’s jails. But it’s not foolproof.

A judge ruled New York City is now in contempt over "grave" conditions at the Rikers Island prison complex, with a federal takeover of the system now seen increasingly as likely in a years-long legal battle.