WASHINGTON, D.C. — A new report from Solitary Watch details systemic abuse in New York prisons, citing physical violence, deprivation of basic resources, and widespread solitary confinement, despite legal limits on its use. The report, entitled NY Prisons Seek to Weaken Law Limiting Solitary, notes that conditions inside New York’s facilities have alarmed advocates and intensified demands for reform.
The report highlights the results of the most recent election, which many civil rights activists believe may create momentum for statewide change. It also notes that similar abusive conditions are widespread across the United States, affecting juvenile centers and supermax facilities in multiple states.
In New York, the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) assessed that the Humane Alternatives to Long-Term (HALT) Solitary Confinement Act’s requirement for minimum out-of-cell time “does not apply to people housed in general population.” Many incarcerated people have disputed this interpretation and said they continue to witness widespread solitary confinement, but DOCCS maintains that more than 80 percent of New York prisons are in compliance with the law.
Despite DOCCS’ position, the New York court system is considering a policy that would require sentencing judges to tour state prisons annually. According to Solitary Watch, the goal is to increase transparency and strengthen accountability for abuse and unsafe conditions.
Solitary Watch notes that the recent election of New York Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani as mayor of New York City has renewed hope among reform advocates. The group writes, “Members of the Jails Action Coalition and #HALTsolitary Campaign are calling on Mamdani to fulfill his campaign promise of permanently closing Rikers Island.” The Jails Action Coalition has also released a 23-page blueprint outlining comprehensive reforms, including a full ban on solitary confinement.
The report states that New York is not alone in facing new reform demands. In California, a state detention facility recently received a complaint alleging unconstitutional and “inhospitable conditions,” and with increased federal deportation efforts, the facility “has been the subject of much criticism in recent months over the treatment of detained immigrants.” Solitary Watch reports that advocates have raised alarms over expanded solitary confinement and urged the Trump administration to intervene nationwide.
The report also points to a lack of transparency in Wisconsin prisons. According to Solitary Watch, Wisconsin lawmakers were denied access to the Milwaukee Secure Detention Facility (MSDF), which primarily houses people accused of probation or parole violations. The facility has a documented history of poor conditions, which lawmakers argue reinforces the need for oversight.
Wisconsin Rep. Darrin Madison expressed concern about the situation and joined calls for reform. “When you run a system on punishment and silence,” he said, “abuse becomes the operating procedure.”
Solitary Watch also notes that the crisis extends to high-security supermax prisons. The report includes testimony from Jack Powers, a formerly incarcerated journalist who was imprisoned at ADX Florence in Colorado. Speaking about conditions there, Powers said, “The way that they handle you, they’re trying to bring you to the absolute depth of human subjection, without killing.”
The report further documents the impact of current conditions on youth incarcerated in juvenile facilities, where overcrowding, a lack of staffing, and limited programming have resulted in prolonged solitary confinement and reports of widespread abuse. Solitary Watch states that several jurisdictions have attempted to respond, with some expanding capacity — worsening conditions — and others diverting youth to community-based alternatives.
The report describes how incarcerated women routinely face health hazards, including being denied access to menstrual products. Requests for supplies are often met with ridicule or physical intimidation, and those who attempt to share or obtain them independently may be punished with solitary confinement for possessing “contraband.” Advocates argue that these conditions deny women basic hygiene and jeopardize their physical health.
Overall, Solitary Watch concludes that U.S. prisons require urgent and sweeping reforms. The report calls on lawmakers to act quickly and prioritize policies that ensure humane conditions for incarcerated individuals.
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