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A CALL TO ACTION: Send Letter of Support for Virginia SB 1301 Prohibiting the Use of Isolated Confinement in State Correctional Facilities and Juvenile Correctional Centers

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Solitary Confinement

Action Item: Support Virginia Bill SB 1301

The Virginia Coalition on Solitary is advocating for SB 1301 whose patron is Senator Joseph Morrissey (D., District 16).

Click here to send your advocacy letter in support of SB 1301. 

Some of the major provisions of  SB 1301 include the following:

  • No prisoner can be placed in solitary confinement except for providing medical and mental health treatment.
  • The bill mandates that a prisoner receive an initial medical/mental health evaluation within eight hours of placement in isolated confinement and comprehensive medical and mental health evaluation within 24 hours.
  • A prisoner shall be placed in isolated confinement for up to 48 hours.A prisoner may remain in isolated confinement for another 48 hours only if he or she poses an ongoing threat of physical harm to another person, for a maximum time in solitary of 96 hours.
  • Prisoners placed in isolated confinement for their own protection shall receive opportunities for activities, movement, and social interaction.
  • Prisoners who are neither in isolated confinement nor in general population shall be offered a minimum of three hours of out-of-cell programmatic interventions or other congregate activities, such as classes, work assignments, or therapeutic treatment.
  • No juvenile shall be placed in solitary confinement except for the purpose of providing medical or mental health treatment.
  • No juvenile shall be placed in solitary confinement for longer than 24 hours.
  • If a juvenile continues to pose an ongoing threat of physical harm to another person, the juvenile can be placed in solitary for another 24 hours or a maximum of 48 hours total.
  • All juveniles who are neither in solitary confinement nor in general population shall be offered a minimum of four hours of out of cell programmatic interventions such as classes, work assignments, or therapeutic treatments.

SB 1301 would effectively end prolonged isolation in Virginia State Prisons for both adults and juveniles!

Click here to send your advocacy letter in support of SB 1301.