Obama bans solitary confinement for juveniles in federal prisons

President Obama announced Monday night a ban on solitary confinement for juvenile offenders in federal prisons, saying the practice often results in “devastating, lasting psychological consequences.”

In an op-ed posted online in The Washington Post, the president said he was taking executive actions that also forbid federal corrections officials from punishing prisoners who commit “low-level infractions” with solitary confinement. He also called for expanding treatment for mentally ill prisoners. 

“Prisoners in solitary are more likely to commit suicide, especially juveniles and people with mental illnesses,” Mr. Obama said. “It doesn’t make us safer. It’s an affront to our common humanity.”

The president took action six months after he ordered the Justice Department to study how solitary confinement was being used by the federal Bureau of Prisons. The president said he hopes states will reform their practices on solitary confinement as well.

In its report, Justice issued 50 “guiding principles” for solitary confinement, including: “Inmates should be housed in the least restrictive setting necessary to ensure their own safety, as well as the safety of staff, other inmates, and the public.”

“It is the responsibility of all governments to ensure that this practice is used only as necessary — and never as a default solution,” the report said.

Solitary confinement is sometimes necessary but should be used sparingly, Justice officials concluded.

“There are occasions when correctional officials have no choice but to segregate inmates from the general population, typically when it is the only way to ensure the safety of inmates, staff, and the public,” the report said. “But as a matter of policy, we believe strongly this practice should be used rarely, applied fairly, and subjected to reasonable constraints.”