Advocates almost succeeded this year in curbing the use of solitary confinement in California’s prisons and jails. The California Mandela Act, named after the long-imprisoned South African president, received the support it needed in August to pass the Assembly 41-16 and land on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk. He vetoed the bill a month later, citing safety concerns.
That must not be the end of the fight against this torturous practice. Lawmakers should try again next year and every year until a governor signs those restrictions into law.
Solitary confinement has never been shown to decrease prison violence. Researchers have found that it leads to higher recidivism rates. It’s also the setting for a disproportionate number of prison suicides.
