Working to Limit Restrictive Housing: Efforts in Four Jurisdictions to Make Changes

22 Pages Posted: 1 Dec 2018

See all articles by Leann Bertsch

Leann Bertsch

North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation

Kevin Kempf

Association of State Correctional Administrators

Gary Mohr

Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction

Rick Raemisch

Colorado Department of Corrections

Wayne Choinski

Association of State Correctional Administrators

Judith Resnik

Yale University - Law School

Anna VanCleave

University of Connecticut - School of Law

Kristen Bell

Yale University - Law School

Alexandra Harrington

University at Buffalo Law School; Yale University - Law School

Gregory Conyers

Yale University, Law School, Students

Catherine McCarthy

Yale University, Law School, Students

Jenny Tumas

Yale University, Law School, Students

Annie Wang

Yale University, Law School, Students

Henry Atencio

Idaho Department of Correction

Keith Yordy

Idaho State Correctional Institution

Date Written: October 10, 2018

Abstract

This monograph, Working to Limit Restrictive Housing: Efforts in Four Jurisdictions to Make Changes, is related to Reforming Restrictive Housing: The 2018 ASCA-Liman Nationwide Survey of Time-in-Cell, the fourth in a series of ASCA-Liman research projects focused on restrictive housing — or what is popularly known as “solitary confinement” — defined as placement of an individual in a cell for an average of 22 hours or more for 15 days or more.

In Working to Limit Restrictive Housing, directors of prison systems in Colorado, Idaho, Ohio, and North Dakota detail how they were limiting and, in Colorado, abolishing the use of restrictive housing. Correctional administrations’ efforts to reduce the numbers of people in restrictive housing are part of a larger picture in which legislatures, courts, and other institutions are seeking to limit holding people in cells 22 hours or more for 15 days or more. These endeavors reflect the national and international consensus that restrictive housing imposes grave harms on individuals confined, on staff, and on the communities to which prisoners return. Once solitary confinement was seen as a solution to a problem. Now prison officials around the United States are finding ways to solve the problem of restrictive housing.

Keywords: prisons, corrections, correctional administration, correctional management, penology, solitary confinement, restrictive housing, administrative segregation, prison administration, prison reform, corrections reform, constitutional law

Suggested Citation

Bertsch, Leann and Kempf, Kevin and Mohr, Gary and Raemisch, Rick and Choinski, Wayne and Resnik, Judith and VanCleave, Anna and Bell, Kristen and Harrington, Alexandra and Conyers, Gregory and McCarthy, Catherine and Tumas, Jenny and Wang, Annie and Atencio, Henry and Yordy, Keith, Working to Limit Restrictive Housing: Efforts in Four Jurisdictions to Make Changes (October 10, 2018). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3264366 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3264366

Leann Bertsch

North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation ( email )

3100 Railroad Avenue
P.O. Box 1898
Bismarck, ND 58502
United States

Kevin Kempf

Association of State Correctional Administrators ( email )

Gary Mohr

Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction

770 West Broad Street
Columbus, OH 43222
United States

Rick Raemisch

Colorado Department of Corrections ( email )

1250 Academy Park Loop
Colorado Springs, CO 80910
United States

Wayne Choinski

Association of State Correctional Administrators ( email )

Judith Resnik (Contact Author)

Yale University - Law School ( email )

P.O. Box 208215
New Haven, CT 06520-8215
United States
203-432-1447 (Phone)
203-432-1719 (Fax)

Anna VanCleave

University of Connecticut - School of Law ( email )

Kristen Bell

Yale University - Law School ( email )

P.O. Box 208215
New Haven, CT 06520-8215
United States

Alexandra Harrington

University at Buffalo Law School ( email )

School of Law
528 O'Brian Hall
Buffalo, NY 14260-1100
United States

Yale University - Law School ( email )

Gregory Conyers

Yale University, Law School, Students ( email )

127 Wall Street
New Haven, CT 06511
United States

Catherine McCarthy

Yale University, Law School, Students ( email )

127 Wall Street
New Haven, CT 06511
United States

Jenny Tumas

Yale University, Law School, Students ( email )

127 Wall Street
New Haven, CT 06511
United States

Annie Wang

Yale University, Law School, Students ( email )

127 Wall Street
New Haven, CT 06511
United States

Henry Atencio

Idaho Department of Correction

1299 N. Orchard St.
Suite 110
Boise, ID 83706
United States

Keith Yordy

Idaho State Correctional Institution

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