For four excruciating years, my fiance was held in solitary confinement ("the hole") because he remained on an out-of-state list with no attempts made to transfer him. An apparent method to extend his confinement, his listing served no other purpose than arbitrary punishment; he was ultimately released into the general population within the same state he was incarcerated. This misuse of the out-of-state list keeps incarcerated individuals in indefinite solitary confinement - a practice known for its detrimental mental health effects.

Solitary confinement of prisoners for prolonged periods has been criticized by numerous human rights organizations, including the United Nations, for leading to severe psychological effects and being akin to torture. In fact, human rights agencies recommend a limit of 15 days in solitary confinement as anything beyond that is considered cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment. Yet many inmates are kept in the hole far beyond this recommended limit.

We call upon the wider public to support this cause for fairer treatment of inmates. We need changes made to ensure that the out-of-state listing system cannot be misused as a means to extend solitary confinement indefinitely. Our goal is a more transparent, humanitarian approach to inmate management, one that respects individual rights while still upholding justice. Please join us in this fight for reform. Sign this petition today.