We post news and comment on federal criminal justice issues, focused primarily on trial and post-conviction matters, legislative initiatives, and sentencing issues.

LONELY, I’M MR. LONELY…

Democratic senators introduced legislation last Tuesday that would largely ban the Federal Bureau of Prisons from using solitary confinement.

The End Solitary Confinement Act, a companion to a bill, H.R. 4972, introduced last July, would prevent inmates and detainees from being segregated alone for more than four hours to de-escalate emergency situations and, even then, require staff members to meet with them at least once an hour.

Similar to the House bill, the Senate version entitles incarcerated people to at least 14 hours of daily time out of their cells, including access to seven hours of programming meant to address topics such as mental health, substance abuse and violence prevention.

The Senate legislation was introduced by Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, both D-MA; Bernie Sanders, I-VT; and Peter Welch, D-VT.

S.____ [no number yet], End Solitary Confinement Act

H.R. 4972, End Solitary Confinement Act

NBC, Bill to ‘end solitary confinement’ in federal institutions introduced in Senate (December 5, 2023)

VOTING IN PRISON

Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) and Sen Peter Welch (D-VT) introduced bills in their respective chambers last week that, if passed, would grant people the right to vote in federal elections while in prison.

The Inclusive Democracy Act is unlikely to advance in the divided Congress, where Republicans narrowly control the House of Representatives and Democrats control the Senate.

The lawmakers acknowledged the headwinds to the legislation, their concession that passage in this Congress is very unlikely.

Reuters, Democratic lawmakers unveil bill to give people in US prisons right to vote (December 6, 2023)

HR 4852, The Inclusive Democracy Act

– Thomas L. Root