END SOLITARY CONFINEMENT IN THE D.C. JAIL

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On any given day, people held in the D.C. Jail can find themselves locked in a small cell, isolated and without natural light for 22 to 24 hours a day. After such solitary confinement, people’s mental health can deteriorate, and the trauma of isolation can contribute to increased violence in the jail and re-offending when released.

No one wins when people experience horrific conditions at the D.C. Jail. In addition to the psychological trauma it inflicts, this inhumane practice wastes taxpayer dollars and puts public safety efforts at risk. Despite these drawbacks, D.C.’s Department of Corrections has used solitary confinement three times more than the national average.

There is another way, and the D.C. Council can take the next step toward humane treatment by scheduling a hearing on Bill 25-0543, the Eliminating Restrictive and Segregated Enclosures (ERASE) Solitary Confinement Act. This bill would require that all residents at the D.C. Jail receive at least eight hours of out-of-cell time per day, and it includes narrow exceptions for medical and self-harm reasons.

Send a D.C. Councilmembers a message urging them to hold a hearing on B25-0543, the ERASE Solitary Confinement Act.

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Send a D.C. Councilmembers a message urging them to hold a hearing on B25-0543, the ERASE Solitary Confinement Act.

Subject

I am emailing today with an urgent request to schedule a hearing on Bill 25-0543, the Eliminating Restrictive and Segregated Enclosures (ERASE) Solitary Confinement Act, by September.

Message Body

The time has come for D.C. to abandon this dangerous and unhealthy practice and champion humane treatment. The ERASE Solitary Confinement Act proposes such a transformative approach, reducing the use of solitary confinement and championing rehabilitation, education, and healthcare for people held at the D.C. Jail.

I urge you to take the next step toward humane treatment and hold a hearing on Bill 25-0543, the ERASE Solitary Act, by September.

Sincerely,

[First Name] [Last Name]

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END SOLITARY CONFINEMENT IN THE D.C. JAIL

Act Now

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