Ensure Decent Detention Conditions

It is crucial to our national conscience that prison conditions do not violate the basic human rights of imprisoned people. We pride ourselves on being a nation of values and we can best demonstrate that by how we treat people in the most vulnerable situations – incarcerated people are certainly part of that group. And decent, rehabilitative prisons are not only a basic human right, but also central to the successful reintegration of people emerging from prison.

1) Include the Voices of the Formerly Incarcerated

Congress, state governments, and prison officials should proactively include the voices of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals in assessing policy initiatives that affect people in jails and prisons.

2) Require Gender-Specific Healthcare

Congress and state governments, and prison officials should require the provision of gender-specific and gender-sensitive medical care; provide education and care for individuals with HIV, AIDS, and Hepatitis C, including medical treatment for the curable Hepatitis C; and allow individuals access to appropriate feminine hygiene products and barrier contraceptives.

3) Require LGBTQ-Inclusive Healthcare

Prison officials and the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) should ensure that LGBTQ-inclusive healthcare is provided, make condoms and barriers freely available to incarcerated people, and provide any required therapies to transgender incarcerated people, including hormone therapy.

4) Commission Independent Inspections

Congress and state governments, and detention officials should require independent commissions, which include formerly incarcerated people, to inspect detention conditions and report on compliance with human rights standards.

5) Abolish Solitary Confinement

Congress and state governments should abolish the use of solitary confinement as a disciplinary measure for incarcerated people. It should further be completely banned for young people and individuals with mental, psychiatric, and/or physical health issues.

6) Provide Educational Programs

Congress and state governments should provide prison educational programs that allow individuals to obtain a trade or vocation and use the incentive of “earned time off to encourage participation in addiction treatment, cognitive behavioral therapy, educational classes, faith-based programs, and other self-betterment activities prescribed in accordance with individualized case plans.”

7) Respect Human Rights

Prison officials and the BOP should eliminate prison practices that violate incarcerated people’s human rights, such as the shackling of women during childbirth. United Nations experts and representatives should be provided with unrestricted access to jails and prisons to ensure that they comply with human rights.

8) Eliminate Prison Rape

Congress should provide incentives to state governments and prisons that successfully reduce the occurrence of prison rape consistent with the mandates of the Prison Rape Elimination Act.

9) Re-Fund Pell Grants

Congress should re-fund Pell grants for incarcerated people to allow for education and prepare people to return to their communities.

10) Individualize Rehabilitation

Public defense offices, civil society, and prison and jail officials should play an active role in devising individualized risk assessment tools that provide treatment, programming, and service delivery plans for individuals before they begin a term of incarceration.

It is crucial to our national conscience that prison conditions do not violate the basic human rights of imprisoned people. We pride ourselves on being a nation of values and we can best demonstrate that by how we treat people in the most vulnerable situations – incarcerated people are certainly part of that group. And decent, rehabilitative prisons are not only a basic human right, but also central to the successful reintegration of people emerging from prison.