A replica of a solitary confinement cell is on display in Connecticut’s State Capitol. It reproduces the sights and sounds of being in a solitary confinement cell.
David McGuire, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut, hopes lawmakers and the public will visit the replica to experience what solitary confinement is like.
“Solitary confinement does terrible things to people with mental health issues. And there’s also lots of medical research to say that it could spur or cause mental health issues.”
McGuire and others are pushing for legislation that he says would screen out people with mental health issues and prevent people under 18 from being put into solitary confinement. He says the legislation would also require regular reporting on how it's being used, including who has been sent to solitary for what reasons and for how long.
The replica cell will be in Hartford until March 2.
