Solitary confinement (also called administrative segregation) has gained attention in recent years as a serious mental health concern in the criminal justice system. According to Texas Impact, an interfaith public policy network, more than 8,800 Texans were in solitary confinement in 2010. The organization will educate faith leaders, faith communities and policy makers about this issue and lead efforts to advocate for changes in state policies.Good, it's needed. As always, those interested in ad-seg issues should follow Jim Rideway's Solitary Watch.
Thursday, April 05, 2012
Hogg Foundation funds advocacy on solitary confinement
The Austin-based Hogg Foundation for Mental Health recently announced several grant awards, including one to Texas Impact for advocacy work on solitary confinement:
This is long overdue. New thinking and science on solitary confinement is showing that this is a serious problem with very serious consequences for the institution and staff as well as the prisoner. I know a man in Florida who has been kept in solitary confinement (Close Management is the euphemism they use) for 17 years without break! I've noted over the last 2-3 years that his letters sometimes are just gibberish ramblings, he has more and more conflict with staff, and he has become more angry and ready to make disturbances. This guy is an old school convict, having been locked up virtually his entire life. When I worked around him he knew how to do his time under the radar and rarely got into trouble (aka, did not get caught). Since being dumped into the Florida system (most likely wrongfully convicted- been paraplegic for many years, yet convicted of standing up and groping a minor girl- one who bragged then about another guy she "put in prison") he has had nothing but turmoil.
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