Great news from New York City! The Department of Corrections has decided to eliminate solitary confinement for 16- and 17-year-olds incarcerated at Rikers Island by the end of the year. Experts have spoken for years about the devastating effects of solitary confinement on the mental health of adolescents. Such seclusion has long been the primary form of punishment at the Rikers Island jail complex, where teenagers as young as 16 can spend days, weeks and sometimes months locked in a cell for over 23 hours a day. The decision was noted in an internal memo by the correction commissioner, Joseph Ponte, to Mayor Bill de Blasio, that was obtained by The New York Times. It comes as the department attempts to face down sharp criticism of the often brutal treatment at Rikers Island, particularly for adolescents and those with mental illnesses. The memo on solitary confinement, dated Sept. 25, described “the first round of changes” intended to “meet our shared commitment to a safe, just and age-appropriate correctional setting” for young inmates. These include improved recruitment of correction officers, better training and expanded educational and reentry programs.
Posted on: Thu, 02 Oct 2014 10:52:01 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015