Faith in Action: August 7, 2022 – End Long-Term Solitary Confinement (HR 8048)

Every week at All Saints Church we put our faith into action. On any given day, tens of thousands of adults and children, a disproportionate number of whom are people of color, are subjected to solitary confinement in U.S. prisons, jails, and federal detention centers, in conditions that constitute torture according to the United Nations, leading medical and mental health experts, and other developed countries. This week we are urging our members of the House of Representatives and U.S. Senate to end long-term solitary confinement by passing HR 8048 that would create a bipartisan commission to study the effects of solitary confinement in the U.S. prison system and set national standards, with a goal of ending all long-term solitary confinement in federal prisons and detention centers. It also sets aside federal grant funding to incentivize states to take steps to end solitary confinement.

In solitary, people are often detained in a cell by themselves, or with one other person, for 22 hours per day. This kind of treatment is extremely detrimental to any human being. Cut off from any normal human interaction, enduring sensory and physical deprivation, many describe the experience as being “buried alive.” Research shows that even just a few days in solitary can lead to increased risk of death by accident, suicide, violence, and/or overdose. Medical experts have stated that people incarcerated in isolation for extended periods experience symptoms akin to delirium, and the impact on those with mental and physical disabilities is especially damaging. Solitary confinement has also been proven to lead to higher recidivism rates.

Complete isolation violates basic values of redemption, compassion and restorative justice – and is in direct conflict with our values of Radical Inclusion and Courageous Justice.

HR 8048 will advance the goal of eliminating solitary confinement in our criminal justice system.

Options to Take Action:

1. Sign the Action Letters at the Action Table outside the church on Sunday morning.
2. Download a copy of the Action Letter that you can sign and mail. Those out of the state of CA can use this letter.
3. Participate in the action at the NRCAT website.

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If you ever need to look up your member of the U.S. House of Representatives or your U.S. Senators check here: www.house.gov and www.senate.gov.

To find contact information for your California State Senator or California State Assemblymember check here: www.senate.ca.gov and www.assembly.ca.gov.