Colorado to move 321 inmates out of solitary
DENVER — The top Colorado Department of Corrections official says the state has relied too much on solitary confinement and is transferring 321 inmates back to the general prison population.
The move announced Friday by Executive Director Tom Clements follows an independent analysis by the National Institute of Corrections, the U.S. Department of Justice and two national corrections experts. State prison officials requested the analysis.
The Denver Post reports (http://bit.ly/zXSBG4 ) Clements now requires a review of all instances in which an inmate is held in solitary confinement, known officially as administrative segregation, for more than a year. About 870 cases were reviewed.
Solitary confinement is a tool used by prison officials to maintain prison safety. Inmates are placed there for various reasons that include fighting, organization gangs or violating other prison rules.
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Information from: The Denver Post, http://www.denverpost.com
