California to Limit Solitary Confinement to Actual Offenders

According to a recent article in the Wall St. Journal Law Blog, California prisoners would no longer be put into solitary confinement indefinitely just for being affiliated with a gang, if a proposed settlement goes through. Instead, reports the WSJ, "isolation would be used for set amounts of time as punishment for offenses such as assault or other rules violations."

As a former prison volunteer and someone who believes strongly in prison reform, this is great news. I have toured the New Hampshire State Prison (NHSP) on multiple occasions and stepped into a cell at the Special Housing Unit (SHU). I have talked to prisoners who were sent to SHU and heard their stories about what the solitary confinement experience is like. I am not aware of anyone who has been sent to the NHSP SHU simply by virtue of gang association.

While I understand the need to ensure the safety of other prisoners and prison staff, solitary confinement should be reserved for actual offenders and not those whom prison administration feel poses a greater risk of potential offense, without more.