Friend –

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.

Tell D.C. Councilmembers to end solitary confinement in the D.C. Jail.

No one wins when people experience horrific conditions at the D.C. Jail, and there is a better way.

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. To schedule this hearing, Councilmembers need to hear from you.

In addition to the ERASE Solitary Confinement Act, we are also urging District leaders to immediately construct a new facility that can replace the current jail. We believe that an updated facility can better protect the constitutional rights and the safety of incarcerated residents than the current facility, where residents lack access to necessities such as edible food, and adequate medical care.

The time has come for D.C. to abandon dangerous and unhealthy practices at the D.C. Jail and to instead champion humane treatment and rehabilitation.

Thanks for taking action and sticking with us,

ACLU of the District of Columbia