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New this week from Solitary Watch:

Kwaneta Harris, an award-winning incarcerated journalist and our newest Contributing Writer, delves into her experience of coping with solitary confinement-related trauma. After eight and a half years of living in solitary, Harris returned to the general prison population. Riddled with survivor’s guilt, and without the benefit of any kind of transitional programming, she struggled to teach her body and mind to exist in a less confined space. In the end, she concludes: “Now I realize the only solution for coping with the trauma from solitary isn’t a program. It’s never to go there in the first place.” Solitary Watch 

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In the latest piece supported by the Ridgeway Reporting Project, Christopher Blackwell exposes Washington State’s manipulation of a victim protection policy to censor his freedom of expression and that of other incarcerated individuals. When Blackwell was invited to testify in support of state legislation, the Department of Corrections denied the request on the grounds that relatives of Blackwell’s victim “would likely not be okay” with it—something that turned out not to be the case. Acknowledging that constraints are often imposed due to safety or security concerns, Blackwell states “Washington DOC, however, is weaponizing a nebulous policy to silence incarcerated people under the guise of victim’s rights.” The Appeal

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“Santa Was in Solitary and Jesus Got the Death Penalty” is a piece we post every year at this time. St. Nicholas, the historical figure who inspired Santa Claus, spent time in prison and in solitary confinement, and his first “miracle” amounted to a prison break. Today, people go to church to worship an executed savior and shop to commemorate an incarcerated saint. We hope they will give a thought to the nearly 2 million people in the United States who are spending the holiday behind bars. Solitary Watch

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This week’s pick of news and commentary about solitary confinement:

A class-action lawsuit against Dauphin County Prison alleges severe mistreatment of incarcerated people in the restricted housing unit. The suit claims the men experienced “near-total deprivation,” including lack of hygiene products, clean clothing, recreation, and access to healthcare. It further accuses prison staff of punitive practices, such as withholding necessities and disregarding medical needs, which exacerbated mental health issues among the men. Penn Live | Described as a “campaign of collective punishment,” these measures reportedly targeted individuals suspected of using synthetic marijuana, many of whom were pretrial detainees. Some men resorted to slicing mattresses for warmth amid freezing temperatures. Advocates argue these actions violated constitutional rights and basic human decency. In a statement, one of the plaintiffs said, “I’ve seen so many people die in DCP that I was scared I was next. I kept talking to staff and no one wanted to listen. They all had their hands in this, none of them protected us, and they all need to go.” Law & Crime

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Luigi Mangione, the alleged shooter of the UnitedHealthcare CEO, is currently in solitary confinement in Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center, held in a small cell within the federal jail’s Special Housing Unit (SHU). In recent years, the jail has faced complaints of worm- and maggot-infested food, filthy cells, and power outages. Federal prison consultant Sam Mangel remarked, “SHUs are notoriously loud. You have people in there for psychiatric issues, for disciplinary reasons, and for withdrawal from drugs. So it is the loudest place in the jail—people are banging on their doors at all hours of the night.” New York Post

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Virginia’s newly established corrections ombudsman will prioritize investigating Red Onion State Prison following reports of men burning themselves in hopes of being transferred out of the prison. Allegations about the living conditions include medical neglect, physical abuse, racial discrimination, prolonged solitary confinement, and inedible food. MSN |  Although the Virginia Department of Corrections pledges cooperation, its director dismissed some claims as politically motivated: “There’s no evidence whatsoever that there was any kind of a plot or any kind of a protest.” Prison reform advocates, people previously incarcerated at Red Onion, state lawmakers, and loved ones of people currently held at the facility say otherwise. Prison rights advocate Hassan Shabazz, who spent 23.5 years in Virginia’s prison system, including a year of solitary confinement at Red Onion, stated “One of the main things that I remember when I pulled up to Red Onion State Prison was that there was a graveyard right in the back.” VPM

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A recent investigation into nearly 1,500 Eighth Amendment complaints filed by incarcerated people reveals that less than 1% of cases that cite the constitutional protection against “cruel and unusual punishment” succeed. This is due to the fact that legal standards focus on official’s intent rather than abuse, and the 1996 Prison Litigation Reform Act limits incarcerated people’s access to courts. Investigated cases highlight untreated illnesses, solitary confinement, sexual assaults, and systemic neglect. Additionally, for-profit contractors managing prison services often escape liability. Federal judges, advocacy groups, and loved ones of those incarcerated call for reform, emphasizing the system’s failure to ensure justice. Business Insider

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In a short video, prison rights advocate Anisah Sabur, who endured three bouts of solitary confinement, shares the impact of solitary on mental health. During her time in general population, Sabur was able to build a community, which helps people cope with prison life and reduces their chances of recidivism. Like many others, when Sabur was placed in isolation, her mental, emotional, and physical well-being deteriorated. After helping to pass New York State’s HALT Act, a bill to limit the use of solitary confinement to 15 days, she continues to fight to end this practice, and is now focusing on aiding detained immigrants who are subjected to solitary. Sabur asks, “If you were locked in your bathroom for 24 hours out of the day, how would you survive?” Now This Impact

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Mohammad Farik Bin Amin, a Malaysian man tortured by the CIA, spent years in solitary confinement in a U.S.-run prison located in Afghanistan, before being held at Guantanamo Bay. As part of his legal defense, Amin created detailed drawings depicting the torture he endured, such as standing sleep deprivation, mock waterboarding, and hooded solitary confinement.  These sketches, which began as a form of self-therapy, were shown to a military jury during his sentencing trial in January, and have now been made public. New York Times

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