New this week from Solitary Watch:

Writing for Filter, Solitary Watch’s Sara Vogel reveals that digital mail further isolates those in solitary confinement in Texas prisons. Under a new policy, letters, photos, greeting cards, and postcards are now redirected to a digital mail processing center to be scanned and electronically sent to tablets or printed out in black and white photocopies. Although legal mail is still supposed to be delivered to the prison mailrooms, advocates have also had difficulty getting advocacy materials and legal paperwork to those in isolation. Physical mail has long been a way for individuals in solitary to connect with loved ones. Kwaneta Harris, a journalist in solitary, shared: “Before they banned crayons, my children drew pink hearts with deep indentations that I spent hours tracing with my fingertips.” Filter

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

Last week, David M. Shapiro, the executive director of the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, called for the Illinois Senate to pass HB 4828. Already passed by the Illinois House, the bill aims to shed light on the use of restrictive housing within the state’s prisons and jails. Citing the neurological and psychological consequences of solitary, as well as Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s condemnation of the Illinois Department of Corrections for keeping a man in solitary confinement for three years, Shapiro urges lawmakers to acknowledge this practice as a form of torture. Chicago Sun Times | This past Monday, the Illinois Senate passed HB 4828. Championed by Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago), the bill requires the IDOC to publish quarterly reports online detailing how often and why people are placed in solitary confinement, including incidents of self-harm and access to health care. “By passing this measure, we’re improving transparency and paving the way for reform that prioritizes rehabilitation over punishment,” said Peters. Illinois Senate Democrats 

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A recent report shows a 110% increase in solitary confinement at Nebraska’s juvenile facilities. A common justification for the continued use of solitary is that it helps maintain prison safety. However, research indicates that solitary confinement can cause significant psychological harm among youth, including an increased risk in self-harm. According to Inspector General Jennifer Carter, a positive trend in the report is that 61% of confinements lasted four hours or less, an improvement from the year before. Nevertheless, Carter continues to call for more reform. Reducing youth solitary, Carter said, “requires a multi-faceted approach involving policy reform, culture change within facilities, and rigorous oversight, and a commitment to a continuous improvement.” KLKN-TV

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