Is Solitary Confinement on the Way Out?

Stateline: Last month, New Jersey lawmakers voted to stop isolating prison inmates for as long as 23 hours a day for months or years on end after deciding it was abusive and hampered a return to society.

If Republican Gov. Chris Christie signs the bill, juvenile, pregnant, elderly, mentally ill, gay and transgender inmates will no longer be put in solitary confinement in state prisons and local jails because isolation could be particularly harmful to them. For all other inmates, solitary will be a last resort. It will be limited to no more than 15 days at a time, and a physician, clinical psychologist or psychiatric nurse will monitor the inmates.

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