President Obama Bans Solitary Confinement for Juveniles in Federal Prisons
On January 25, 2016, President Obama announced a ban on the use of solitary confinement for juveniles in federal prisons. The President outlined his executive actions in an opinion piece in The Washington Post, in which he wrote that solitary confinement—especially for juveniles and people with mental illness—has the “potential to lead to devastating, lasting psychological consequences.” The President said he plans to adopt the policy recommendations outlined in a Justice Department report on the use of solitary confinement in federal prisons, including banning solitary confinement for juveniles. Further, the President encouraged state and local corrections systems to examine their practices and noted “These steps will affect some 10,000 federal prisoners held in solitary confinement — and hopefully serve as a model for state and local corrections systems.”
Resources: View and download the Justice Department report on restrictive housing (solitary confinement) in federal prisons.