Co-Sponsorship Memo Details

For the over 47,000 inmates in Pennsylvania’s criminal justice system, the prospect of facing solitary confinement can be terrifying. The unethical and inhumane practice of placing our most vulnerable populations in isolation for days, weeks, or even months on end can have devastating effects. Solitary confinement deprives inmates of normal human interaction, access to reading materials, and greatly contributes to a variety of negative physiological and psychological reactions, such as hallucinations, depression, anxiety, and paranoia.

Our proposal would greatly limit, and in many cases, prohibit, the use of solitary confinement on vulnerable populations. There is no benefit to placing someone in isolation, and the excessive use of solitary confinement in our correctional facilities is cruel and unnecessary. There is already a movement toward eliminating the use of solitary confinement in county jails. The time has come for us as a state to take a hard look at how we treat inmates, and we believe it is our duty as public servants to do everything in our power to protect all of our constituents. Please join us in this fight to protect the rights of our most vulnerable prison populations and support them on their journey towards rehabilitation.