Last week ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) announced major changes intended to sharply reduce their use of solitary confinement. Just today, New York City announced they will change their policies to reduce the use of solitary confinement at Rikers Island. Both changes are driven by a recognition of the conflict between segregation in prisons and jails and human rights.
https://www.aclu.org/blog/immigrants-rights-prisoners-rights/new-limits-announced-ices-solitary-confinement-immigrants http://online.wsj.com/article/AP0c3e98a4c8704001b4840dc83f782ee8.html If you'd like to learn more about the policy environment around these changes and participate in a discussion about the ethics of designing spaces for solitary confinement, please attend a sidebar conversation at the AAJ Conference on Thursday at 3:00 - 4:30. The discussion will be hosted by ADPSR (Architects / Designers / Planners for Social Responsibility), who believe spaces for prolonged solitary confinement and execution chambers should not be designed at all.
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Raphael Sperry AIA
ADPSR
San Francisco CA
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