NYCLU Takes Action: Contempt Motion Filed Against Corrections Department for Abusive Solitary Confinement Practices

On Monday, the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) declared the filing of a contempt motion against the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) due to their ongoing, unlawful practice of placing inmates in prolonged solitary confinement.The NYCLU highlighted that a previous lawsuit, in collaboration with Prisoners’ Legal Services of New York (PLS), revealed that DOCCS had breached the HALT Act, legislation that restricts solitary confinement usage.Ify Chikezie, a staff attorney at NYCLU, asserted that the misuse of solitary confinement equates to torture, disproportionately affecting Black and Brown inmates. “The evidence from our reviews is undeniable: DOCCS persists in subjecting prisoners to solitary confinement without justifiable reasons, flouting both a court order and the HALT Act,” Chikezie remarked.The NYCLU's motion seeks court intervention to hold DOCCS accountable, enforce compliance, and ensure thorough reporting of adherence to the law and the HALT Act. (Photos: YouTube Screenshots)