Shutdown plans for the George Motchan Detention Center on Rikers Island were announced yesterday, in what City officials are calling a major step forward in their effort to close the infamous prison complex. The detention center is one of nine on the 413-acre island, with a current capacity of 600 inmates. The stated reason for closing the complex is that the city wants to create a smaller, safer, and more ethical justice system. Rather than dedicating an island to the prison complex, officials hope to build smaller detention facilities around the Five Boroughs, which also opens up the possibility of eventually redeveloping Rikers Island.