The State of New York stands poised to overhaul the use of solitary confinement in its prisons and jails — a practice widely recognized as inhumane, arbitrary and counterproductive. Last week, state legislators passed the HALT (Humane Alternatives to Long-Term) Solitary Confinement Act, aimed at restricting the conditions under which inmates are held in isolation, including limiting confinement to no more than 15 consecutive days. The bill passed both the Senate and the Assembly with a supermajority of support and now awaits action by Gov. The new restrictions would take effect a year after the bill becomes law. Despite piles of research detailing the brutal physical and psychological toll exacted by solitary confinement, it is a common form of discipline.

Source: International New York Times March 25, 2021 09:00 UTC