This petition will be sent to Governor Andrew Cuomo to encourage him to sign the Humane Alternatives to Long-Term (HALT) Solitary Confinement Act into law, and to our New York senators, Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, to introduce this bill in Congress.

The Humane Alternatives to Long-Term (HALT) Solitary Confinement Act is in the process of passing the New York legislature. It bans solitary confinement for over 15 days, and bans it in all situations for those who are under 21, over 55, physically or mentally disabled, pregnant, LGBTQI, or in need of protective custody. Solitary Confinement is a failed policy. It does not make our prisons safer, save the state any funding, or rehabilitate individuals. It costs the state approximately $20,000 more per annum to keep a prisoner in solitary confinement than it does to keep them in a prison’s general population.

The United Nations considers solitary confinement longer than 15 days as torture. This practice of solitary confinement is institutionalizing torture in our country. Solitary confinement has overwhelming negative effects. For most of recent history solitary confinement was only used as a brief punishment, but in the late 20th century prisons began regularly sending prisoners to solitary for months or even years at a time. It is typical for inmates to spend 23 hours in a small cell with one hour of recreation, which is often only walking laps in a cage.The psychological toll is tremendous.  

Studies from the Harvard Medical School show that roughly a third of solitary confinement inmates are acutely psychotic or suicidal before entering solitary. On top of that, the extreme isolation causes panic attacks, self-mutilation, a loss of sense and smell, decreased brain activity, and many other negative symptoms. Eliminating Solitary Housing Units (SHUs) does not mean letting violent offenses in prison go unpunished. Instead, inmates who commit serious crimes could be sent to secure Residential Rehabilitation Units (RRUs). In this setting they are removed from the general prison population, but are given substantial out of cell time to get treatment from therapists, talk with family, and work towards rehabilitation. It is also important to note that contrary to common belief most prisoners who are sent to solitary go for nonviolent infractions. In fact, five out of six inmates in SHUs in New York are in for nonviolent infractions. This is clearly a gross misuse of a very severe form of punishment.

As it is now, solitary confinement infringes on inmates’ citizen rights to not be subjected to cruel and unusual punishment. The Humane Alternatives to Long-Term (HALT) Solitary Confinement Act can discontinue this infringement of inmates’ citizen rights. Every signature adds weight to this petition and brings us one step closer to ending solitary confinement, so please sign to help end this gross injustice.