Rhode Island's solitary confinement should be limited to no more than 15 days at a time, according to the lawmakers. It is part of the national movement that would reform segregation of some inmates into small cells. The legislation had been passed on by lawmakers from Colorado to Mississippi.
Solitary confinement usually separates inmate from the others into smaller cells. They spend months or years there without much social interaction, Seattle Times reports. Rhode Island's solitary confinement bill was sponsored by Providence Democrats Sen. Harold Metts and in the House by Rep. Aaron Regunberg. The legislation aims to protect the youngest and the oldest, as well as the mentally disabled and other vulnerable groups from being isolated into the prison cell.
In January, Pres. Barack Obama announced forbidding of separating juveniles and low-level offenders in federal prisons. He said that solitary confinement can have devastating, lasting psychological consequences to an inmate, Press of Atlantic City reported. The United Nations had supported such bill that would ban isolation of the prisoners. In December, New York argued on the quantity and the period that prisoners would be isolated. California also supported the move by stopping unlimited isolation of hundreds of gang leaders.
Wall remained firm in claiming that Rhode Island's solitary confinement is still less strict compared in other larger states. He claimed that prison officials are considering two things in their system, rehabilitation and safety.
