Duo pushes reform legislation at Capitol rally with Abolitionist Law Center

PA House Democrats: “As solitary confinement is used on people as a form of punishment in Pennsylvania prisons and jails, state Rep. Emily Kinkead held a news conference Wednesday at the state Capitol discussing her legislation with Rep. Tina Davis to reform how the tactic is implemented in the state’s criminal justice system.

‘Solitary confinement is not only cruel – it’s counterproductive to the goals of our justice system,’ said Kinkead, D-Allegheny. ‘Isolating people for hours or days at a time does nothing to rehabilitate them and only deepens trauma that many are already carrying. This legislation is about protecting both inmates and prison staff, ensuring accountability, and ending a practice that has no place in a system that claims to value justice and rehabilitation.’

‘Solitary confinement, especially when used on vulnerable individuals like those with mental illness or disabilities, causes lasting harm and does little to promote rehabilitation,’ said Davis, D-Bucks. ‘This legislation is about creating a more humane and just correctional system – one that prioritizes mental health, transparency, and real opportunities for reform. It’s time we recognize that isolating people in this way is not justice – it’s cruelty.'”

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