Obama bans solitary confinement for juveniles in federal prisons

[Cali_Democrat]

Source: Washington Post

President Obama on Monday announced a ban on solitary confinement for juvenile offenders in the federal prison system, saying the practice is overused and has the potential for devastating psychological consequences.

In an op-ed that appears in Tuesday editions of The Washington Post, the president outlines a series of executive actions that also prohibit federal corrections officials from punishing prisoners who commit “low-level infractions” with solitary confinement. The new rules also call for expanding treatment for mentally ill prisoners.

The president’s reforms are expected to affect about 10,000 inmates.

The reforms come six months after Obama, as part of a broader criminal-justice reform push, ordered the Justice Department to study how solitary confinement was being used by the federal Bureau of Prisons.

The move is another example of the extent to which the nation’s first African American president now seems willing to tackle delicate questions of race and criminal justice as he closes out his presidency. Obama has also been focused on trying to put in place programs to help ex-offenders reintegrate into society once they have left prison.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-bans-solitary-confinement-for-juveniles-in-federal-prisons/2016/01/25/056e14b2-c3a2-11e5-9693-933a4d31bcc8_story.html

[FLPanhandle]

1. If I ever ended up in prison, I think I would prefer solitary

I don't think I'd last too long in the General population.

Give me a few books and solitary would be great.

How many juveniles are in solitary because it's safer? Seems like it's just throwing them to the wolves.

[mucifer]

2. Most people really go insane in solitary. We are social animals. We need each other.

It's horrific. But, so is life in the general population. People in solitary after a while frequently start cutting themselves and behaving more aggressively.

[Richard D]

3. It actually causes organic brain changes

A vile form of torture. Some people are in it for years.

[FLPanhandle]

5. Most people

I would choose solitary in a heartbeat over General Population as long as I had books.

[mucifer]

6. I volunteer with this group:

http://chicagobwp.org/

Women often share the books we send.

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

18. So make friends with the guards. They're human too.

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

20. I think some people are confusing solitary with prisoner segregation.

I would want to be segregated from the worst type of violent criminal, but solitary would probably make me even nuttier than I already am.

[yeoman6987]

4. Id rather solitary if I ever get jail too

Much safer chance of getting out of jail alive.

[brett_jv]

17. The negative effects are so wide-ranging it's mind-boggling ...

Did you know it even damages your eyes if you're kept in it long enough? Imagine months on end where the FURTHEST thing away from yourself you can look at at ANY TIME ... is the cold grey concrete wall across from you in a 20x20ft 'exercise yard'. You can permanently lose your ability to focus on 'far off' things.

But even worse ... really think about ... talking to NOBODY ... for months on end. Not even the guards. The only sounds you hear are clanging and pained, muffled shouts of people being driven slowly insane around you.

They don't give you paper, pens, pencils (as a matter of course ... you may be able to lobby for tiny dull pencils and paper if you have some excuse) ... and obviously no computer, ipod, TV ... you may get books for like the 12 hrs a day they probably keep the lights on and that's IT.

It's f'ing torture, man ... you might THINK you'd rather be there ... but a couple days actually in it I bet would convince you otherwise. People kill and maim themselves ALL the time in solitary, and come out of it permanently damaged psychologically. We're NOT designed for it.

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

19. When I was a youngster I dropped acid about 50 times.

I have build-in ways to entertain myself now.

[alcibiades_mystery]

7. There is solitary and there is protective custody

They are not the same thing.

This order does not order that protected inmates be "unprotected." It bans special housing units being used as punishment against juvenile offenders, not well-run protective custody units.

[Reter]

8. Solitary confinement is in the pitch-black dark

There are no lights, no books, and even no bars to look out of. It is just you, your toilet, and total darkness. Otherwise, everyone would prefer it if it was like a normal cell.

[FLPanhandle]

24. I think that's a dungeon.

The solitary confinement cells I've seen even in super max prisons aren't dark holes.

[jonno99]

26. I agree. I fully admit however, that I could be wrong - having never been FORCED into solitary...nt

[mountain grammy]

9. I think people may have an unrealistic view of solitary confinement.

It's not a private room with bath and shelves of books to keep you company. It's punishment, severe and inhumane.

I'm glad the President is addressing our prison issues. We are among the worst in the world.

[former9thward]

12. You have an unrealistic view of prisons.

Our prisons are better than all of the prisons in what used to be called the Third World.

[merrily]

15. Third World prisons ought not be the measure of First World prisons.

In fact, Third World prisons ought not be the measure of Third Wold prisons.

[niyad]

21. are you being deliberately obtuse?

[former9thward]

22. Are you?

The poster I replied to said our prisons "were among the worst in the world". That is utterly false. If you believe that then you have never been outside of the U.S.

[niyad]

25. and the cheerleading for "the greatest, bestest country in the WHOLE world" goes on.

[former9thward]

27. You clearly are a fan of hyperbole no matter how untrue.

Last edited Tue Jan 26, 2016, 05:05 PM - Edit history (1)

I am not. Make arguments with facts not silly exaggerations.

[niyad]

29. you made the original statement about how great our prisons are, so it is your responsibility

to back that statement up with facts, not silly exaggerations.

[former9thward]

32. Please link to where I said "how great our prisons are"

The poster said our prisons were the worst in the world. I challenged that. You won't link because you can't. You lied. Everyone on DU knows that.

[niyad]

33. right.... everyone knows what you are doing here. do keep trying, we need the laughs.

[former9thward]

34. Asked you to link to what you said I said.

And you ran away. Its you that provide the laughs.

[niyad]

35. so glad I can amuse. you defended our disgusting prison system, we are simply asking you

to provide the appropriate links.

[former9thward]

36. Please link to where it is "among the world's worst".

Since that is your position. Who is the "we"? No one besides you has asked me anything. Do you have multiple accounts?

[cannabis_flower]

39. Here's a list

of the 25 most brutal prisons in the world. The United States occupies 6 prisons on this list. If you don't like this source I am sure I could find you other sources that will say basically the same thing. Not only do we have terrible prisons, we have people in prison who shouldn't be there.

http://list25.com/25-most-brutal-prisons-in-the-world/5/

[former9thward]

41. From yourlink:

remember…most of the worst prisons in the world are not in democratic, fair trial countries

And who the hell is "ASIA KHATOON" who made the "list"? I can make lists of everything all day long and post them on the internet. What does that mean? BTW there are people in prison who shouldn't be there in every country of the world -- even those you think are cool.

[RichVRichV]

10. Well done President Obama.

[libodem]

11. Praise the Goddess

And all that is sacred.

[Little Tich]

13. Solitary confinement is a form of torture.

I'm glad that Obama is adressing the issue.

[merrily]

14. This is a good thing. Thank you, President Obama.

[brett_jv]

16. WOOO-HOOOO!!!

This is great news. Kids should not be put in 'Solitary', and it needs to be used sparingly in adults. Some guard not liking how you looked at him shouldn't be enough to get you locked up all by yourself for months on end. Nor should demonstrably mentally-ill persons be placed in it. And nobody should be in it for more than 1 month stints, save maybe the most dangerous terrorists (i.e. when nat'l security is legitimately involved). Solitary is basically torture, and not suitable for a civilized society. Esp. not when arbitrarily handed out by Wardens ... instead of Juries and Judges.

[niyad]

23. it is disgusting that such a barbaric practice has taken so long to be addressed.

[mahannah]

28. A good start. Ban for everyone.

[Hekate]

30. Bucket list! POTUS has a lot to do this year.

[NobodyHere]

31. So what do they do to kids who are violent in prison?

[iandhr]

37. I could be wrong...

... but I am pretty sure the data suggests that solitary increases violence

[redruddyred]

38. obama has been great on civil rights

imo solitary confinement should've never been a practice in the first place
i grew up in a place with a hella bad & corrupt police department and it's definitely colored the way i understand criminal justice.
ESPECIALLY with all this nonsense we hear nowadays about cops killing people, oh god.
drug users are incarcerated while the banksters walk free. i'm learning more and more about women going to prison for trivial and bad reasons and this bothers me a lot too. i don't think our cops and judges are doing their jobs right. i think they're lazy, stupid and corrupt.

[Vinca]

40. I'm a little confused about this.

Wouldn't it be very dangerous to put juveniles in with the general population?

[bluestateguy]

42. How many juveniles are in the federal system?

Is it that many?

And for what offenses?

[hughee99]

43. Surprising expediency.

I can't remember the last time a government entity went from calling for a study to taking action in just 6 months.