WESA 90.5 FM, 07/09/24: “Statistics and advocates for incarcerated people both suggest that the use of solitary confinement at Allegheny County Jail has decreased markedly since a referendum restricting its use went into effect in 2021. But more than three years after voters approved that referendum, some advocates and community members allege the county has more work to do for the facility to fully comply with the law.

The 2021 referendum forbids jail officials from using solitary confinement as a punishment, and limits the practice in other circumstances. It defines solitary as detaining a person in a cell or other living space for more than 20 hours a day, and requires that incarcerated people get at least four hours out of their cells each day.

Voters overwhelmingly supported the measure, which sailed to victory in May 2021 after being championed by groups including the Alliance for Police Accountability, New Voices PGH, Pennsylvania United, and SEIU Healthcare PA.

Research from the nonprofit Vera Institute of Justice found that the physical and social isolation required by solitary can lead to anxiety, depression, paranoia, and impulse-control issues, among others.

The jail ‘is not a place where people are meant to spend long periods of time,’ said Kyna James, a coalition organizer for the Alliance for Police Accountability who worked on the campaign to pass the ballot measure. ‘Solitary confinement affects people. With over 70% of [those incarcerated] suffering from mental health issues, it was a huge concern of ours. So, our goal was that people don’t come out worse than they went in.’”

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