A new report from Solitary Watch details systemic abuse in New York prisons, citing physical violence, deprivation of basic resources, and widespread solitary confinement, and calls for urgent and sweeping reforms to ensure humane conditions for incarcerated individuals.
Solitary confinement, or “the hole,” is a costly and unregulated practice that violates human rights, increases mental health diagnoses, and disproportionately affects people of color, with many arguing it should be banned.
Solitary confinement in US prisons and jails is linked to increased suicide rates, with 46% of suicides in federal prisons occurring in restrictive housing settings, and 176 suicide attempts in Washington prisons over the past decade, according to a recent report.
As the United States prepares to choose its next president, I am toiling through my 28th year…