New this week from Solitary Watch: 

In funding news, all donations to Solitary Watch through the end of the year are doubled, thanks to NewsMatch—the annual matching funds program for nonprofit newsrooms. This is the only time of year we explicitly reach out to readers for support, and with every dollar doubled (up to $1,000 per donor), this is the best time to show your support as we wrap up the year. Over the next several weeks, we’ll be highlighting the work we’ve done—from the expansion of our Lifelines to Solitary pen pal program, to the incredible stories by incarcerated journalists, and more.

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

The New York Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) is leaning on a novel legal rule to claim that the Humane Alternatives to Long-Term (HALT) Solitary Confinement Act’s provison for minimum out-of-cell time does not apply to people housed in general population. Despite numerous testimonies from incarcerated people regarding the extensive use of solitary confinement, DOCCS reports that over 80 percent of facilities are in compliance with the law. New York Focus | Tensions across the state over criminal justice reform are further reflected in New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s transition. Members of the Jails Action Coalition and #HALTsolitary Campaign are calling on Mamdani to fulfill his campaign promise of permanently closing Rikers Island. The groups released a 23-page “Blueprint” outlining comprehensive reforms to address the variety of issues plaguing the city’s jails, including a call to permanently end solitary confinement. The City 

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New York State’s unified court system is considering a rule that would require judges with sentencing responsibilities to tour a prison at least once per year. During the tours, judges would be required to see all living areas, including solitary confinement units, and speak directly with incarcerated people. The rule is an effort to increase transparency and ensure that judges are aware of the realities of incarceration. (See the related action item, below.) Gothamist

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Civil rights groups filed a complaint in federal court claiming unconstitutional and inhospitable conditions at the California City Detention Facility. The facility has been the subject of much criticism in recent months over the treatment of detained immigrants, including over the use of punitive and retaliatory solitary confinement. The lawsuit comes after other federal judges have ordered the Trump administration to resolve conditions issues at other facilities across the country. Roll Call | The use of solitary confinement at immigrant detention facilites skyrocketed under Trump. In Arizona, advocates have long criticized Eloy Detention Center for its “egregious” use of solitary confinement. Immigrants at Eloy are confined to cells for 23 and a half hours per day, with only 30 minutes of solitary recreation time. Tuscon.com | At Guantanamo Bay Detention Center, where most immigrants are classified as “low risk,” people are placed in solitary confinement for minor violations, such as “camera obstruction and fork possession.” American Oversight

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Wisconsin lawmakers were denied a tour of the Milwaukee Secure Detention Facility (MSDF), which mainly houses people who have violated parole or probation. While this is not the first time lawmakers have been denied access to the state’s prisons, it is deeply concerning due to Wisconsin’s recent history of inhumane carceral conditions. “When you run a system on punishment and silence, abuse becomes the operating procedure,” said State Representative Darrin Madison (D-Milwaukee) at a recent press conference. Alongside advocates, Madison also announced a package bill aimed at reforming the state’s prison conditions, including provisions requiring structured programming and video visitation for people in solitary confinement. Wisconsin Examiner | Madison and other lawmakers recently met with people directly impacted Wisconsin’s prison conditions. They stated that these roundtable discussions and the stories of survivors are crucial to their work.  Wisconsin Examiner

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ADX Florence in Colorado is the only Federal supermax prison. People housed at ADX are held in near constant isolation, confined to 7-by-12-foot concrete cells with only a bed, combination sink-toilet, desk, and stool. Exercise, limited to one hour alone in an outdoor cage, is a privilege for good behavior. “The operations of the ADX are built around incapacitation,” writes Jack Powers, a formerly-incarcerated journalist who spent time at ADX Florence. “The way that they handle you, they’re trying to bring you to the absolute depth of human subjection, without killing.” AETV | Solitary Watch has published several of Powers’s essays and his release story was the subject of a mini-documentary published by the New York Times. Solitary Watch 

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Across the country, state and local governments are grappling with a juvenile justice crisis. Many detention centers are overcrowded with deteriorating conditions, which, combined with understaffing and a lack of programming options, has resulted in many incarcerated youth being subjected to abuse and prolonged solitary confinement. Some states have taken steps to address the crisis by diverting youth through alternative, community-based court models,  while others have responded by increasing the capacity at the most troubled facilities. Marshall Project 

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Prison Policy Initiative released a briefing on menstruation in carceral settings and the ways incarcerated people are punished for having periods. Incarcerated people are often denied outright, assaulted, or humiliated by staff when requesting period products. When people attempt to share or gain access to supplies through other means, they face disciplinary solitary confinement for possessing “contraband,” which creates further barriers and dangers to accessing essential  hygiene supplies. Prison Policy Initiative 

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When prison staff shaved Damon Landor’s dreadlocks, he described it as feeling as if he had been raped. Landor, a devout Rastafarian who grew his hair for 20 years as part of a religious vow, later tried to sue for damages but had his claims denied in federal court. Following Landor’s most recent appeal, the case will be taken to the Supreme Court, where justices will decide if individuals can sue prison officials for damages over religious rights violations. This is a landmark case for Rastafarians, who are often denied religious exemption from shaving while incarcerated and either forced to do so or punished with solitary confinement for refusing. ABC News 

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The Maryland Board of Public Works (BPW) has agreed to settle a lawsuit brought by Samuel Smalls, who was held in solitary confinement for over a year with no access to outdoor recreation. Smalls claims he was placed in isolation for refusing to change out of jeans for his court hearing. Although the state won at the pretrial motion stage, the BPW approved a $185,000 settlement with Smalls. Daily Record 

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Action Alerts:

The New York Administrative Board of the Courts is seeking public comment on a proposed rule that would require judges with sentencing responsibilities to visit a prison once per year. (See the related news item, above.) To read the full rule and learn more about how to comment visit: New York Courts 

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Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) Israel and Antigone, an Italian association of advocates for criminal justice reform, released an International Guiding Statement on alternatives to solitary confinement. The statement brings together recommendations from a 2023 panel of international human rights experts. Alternatives to Solitary | On December 11, 2025, PHR Israel and Antigone will host a launch event and conference from 2:30pm to 7:30 pm CET. To register for more information fill out the following form. Registration Form

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