SOLITARY IS 'TORTURE'

Calling it “torture” and saying “it has no place in the criminal justice system,” Bishop Edward B. Scharfenberger joined state representatives and senators, family members and numerous prison reform activists March 17, in praising the reforms that the HALT Solitary Confinement Act will bring to New York State.

“We human beings are social in nature; this is how God created us. From the earliest stories in our Scriptures we see this; we are not intended to live in complete isolation. In fact, isolating a person is one of the worst things you can do to them, which is why long-term solitary confinement is torture,” said Bishop Scharfenberger on the Zoom press conference organized by the New York Campaign for Alternatives to Isolated Confinement (NYCIAC).

“Jesus understood this very well, which is why he commanded his followers to visit those who are in prison. In my priesthood, and especially since I have become bishop, I have had many occasions to visit with people in prison, to celebrate Mass, to hear their confessions, simply to sit with them, and I always come away better for it. For I see for myself the possibility of redemption for all us. Our Lord never gives up on anyone.”

The bill — officially named the Humane Alternatives to Long-Term Solitary Confinement (HALT) Act — would limit the time a person can spend in solitary confinement to not more than 15 consecutive days or 20 out of 60 days, end confinement of vulnerable people and put a greater awareness on the mental health and care of the prisoners. It was approved by the New York State Senate by a 42-21 vote on March 18 — after being approved by the Assembly by a vote of 101-49 on March 16 — and now awaits Governor Andrew Cuomo’s signature.

The New York State Catholic Conference (NYSCC), the state Council of Churches and the Labor-Religion Coalition of New York State, as well as other Christian, Muslim and Jewish organizations have all strongly endorsed the bill in the past. 
During the Zoom call, Bishop Scharfenberger also thanked Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, Assembly member Jeff Aubry, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Senator Julia Salazar for their work on the bill as well as Jerome Wright, who spent 30 years in prison and now is an organizer for NYCAIC.

“I am with you, not only representing myself, but Cardinal (Timothy) Dolan and all of my brother bishops across New York State. As Catholic bishops, we come to this issue from a perspective on human dignity which can never be surrendered or taken away, even for those behind prison walls,” the Bishop said.

“We are not Pollyannaish, we understand that our state prisons are home to some with histories of violent crimes and punishment is indeed one facet of our criminal justice system, but it is not the only facet. Punishment without rehabilitation and restoration for all — criminal, victim and society — falls woefully short.

“Solitary confinement, as we’ve heard so many stories, has no place in our criminal justice system. It takes people who are broken in some way and breaks them further; sometimes until they can’t be broken anymore leading people to take their own lives and descend further into anger and mental illness.”

Bishop Scharfenberger has long been a proponent of ending solitary confinement in New York State, writing in a 2016 op-ed in the Albany Times Union, saying: “Social science has affirmed that solitary confinement works against the purpose of rehabilitation and restorative justice. It also works against the purpose of improving public safety, both inside our prisons and jails and in our communities. For all Americans committed to building a safer, healthier society, we cannot ignore the mental illness, debilitating trauma and recidivism that are the hallmarks of placing inmates in solitary confinement.”

Last month the New York State Catholic Conference issued a memorandum “strongly supporting this legislation,” and praised its passage in the state Senate.

“Today is a historic day in New York, with the passage of the HALT Solitary Confinement Act in the state Senate, two days after it passed in the state Assembly. Simply put, long-term solitary confinement is torture,” said Dennis Poust, interim executive director of the conference. “The deprivation, lack of normal human interaction, and extreme idleness fundamentally alter the brain and can cause immense psychological suffering, self-harm, and often lead to suicide. Issues with which people enter segregated confinement — mental illness, addiction, anger, despair — are only exacerbated by extreme isolation. Additionally, a disproportionate number of those in solitary confinement are people of color.

“The New York State Bishops have long supported reform of the state’s harsh solitary confinement policies, and we are grateful to Speaker Carl Heastie, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Assembly member Jeff Aubry and Senator Julia Salazar, as well as all who voted for this legislation. We also congratulate Jerome Wright, statewide organizer of the #HALTSolitary campaign, and all of the advocates whose tireless efforts made this day possible.

“The legislation now goes to Governor Cuomo’s desk, and we strongly urge him to sign it immediately.”

In 2014, Pope Francis said, “one form of torture is … confinement in high security prisons … the lack of sensory stimuli, the total impossibility of communication and the lack of contact with other human beings induce mental and physical suffering such as paranoia, anxiety, depression, weight loss, and significantly increase the suicidal tendency.”