Solitary Confinement – Talking Points
It is crucial that we contact our delegates and senators and urge them to approve action this year in the State legislature. In particular we need to address Delegate Joseph F. Vallario, Jr., the Chair of the House Judiciary Committee and Senator Bobby A. Zirkin, the Chair of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee. Those committees must first approve the legislation before it is heard by the full body.
So, in turn, we urge you to email Senator Zirkin and Delegate Valerio using the links below. It is best if you add a message in your own words to the email, but just in case we have provided a few talking points which you could cut-and-paste into your email as you wish.
Talking Points
The Maryland Alliance for Justice Reform (MAJR) joins with the Interfaith Action for Human Rights (IAHR) in supporting this first step in correcting a systemic problem in our correctional system.
Prisoners in restrictive housing have suffered physical and psychological harms, such as psychosis, trauma, severe depression, serious self-injury, or suicide.
Extended exposure to social isolation clearly constitutes cruel and unusual punishment – in violation of the Eighth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Extended solitary confinement has been condemned as torture by the international community.
According to the U.N. Report on Torture, there should be an absolute prohibition on restrictive housing in excess of 15 days.
In Maryland, the average length of stay in restrictive housing is 58 days!
This bill limits the use of “segregated housing” to less than 20 days in a 60-day period.
Email Links
