Who is the Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition?

Our mission is to reverse the trend of mass incarceration in Colorado. We are a coalition of nearly 7,000 individual members and over 100 faith and community organizations who have united to stop perpetual prison expansion in Colorado through policy and sentence reform.

Our chief areas of interest include drug policy reform, women in prison, racial injustice, the impact of incarceration on children and families, the problems associated with re-entry and stopping the practice of using private prisons in our state.

If you would like to be involved please go to our website and become a member.


Monday, June 07, 2010

Is Solitary Confinement Effective?

Colorado Matters
Jun
Tue01
Is Solitary Confinement Effective?
by Andrea Dukakis


Is Solitary Confinement Effective?:

"This fall, the state plans to open a new prison where inmates will be alone in cells around the clock. (Photo: National Geographic)"
In September, the state plans to open a portion of new prison where inmates will spend 23 hours a day alone in their cells. For the remaining hour, prisoners will move to a slightly larger cell to exercise by themselves. Colorado State Penitentiary 2--or CSP 2-- is in Canon City and is designed for inmates who, corrections officials say, are too dangerous or disruptive to be with other prisoners. But research suggests that long stretches in solitary confinement can lead to mental health problems and make inmates ill-equipped to deal with life on the outside. The average stay for someone in isolation in Colorado is about two and a half years. We hear first from Craig Haney, who's done a lot of research in this area. He's a professor of Psychology at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Then Ryan Warner speaks with Ari Zavaras, head of the Colorado Department of Corrections. He says the state needs a new prison--and more isolation cells--for inmates who are too dangerous to live with the general prison population. (Photo: National Geographic)

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Exactlty WHEN is the U.S. going to join ranks with European and Asian countries and join civilization? Barbaric treatment in the Department of Corruptions only proves the system to enjoy sadistic, power trips with no regard for compassionate reform, often requiring mental health treatment.

There are victims of crime and victims in crime. Result? More crime.

IMO, we will have public safety when we are safe from those who advocate inhumane policies rather than productive solutions.