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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
| State Rep. Mike Sturla
| State Rep. Ronald G. Waters |
HDPC studies effects of solitary confinement
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 18 – The House Democratic Policy Committee held a public hearing today at Temple University on the effects of solitary confinement, according to committee Chairman Mike Sturla, D-Lancaster.
Rep. Ronald G. Waters, D-Phila./Delaware, requested the hearing and served as co-chairman.
Sturla said: “As today’s hearing showed, solitary confinement has many effects that need to be considered in the spirit of humanity. I commend Representative Waters for bringing this issue to our attention.”
Waters added: “We cannot in good conscience continue to ignore the glaring ill-effects of this practice. The information and research that has been compiled and presented show a consistent pattern of physical, mental and emotional damage connected to forced, extended isolation. This discourse must go on beyond today’s hearing in order to remedy this problem.”
Those testifying included: Dr. Terry Kupers, institute professor, The Wright Institute; Dr. Craig Haney, professor of psychology, University of California, Santa Cruz; Jules Lobel, president, Center for Constitutional Rights; Marc Bookman, executive director, Atlantic Center for Capital Representation; Angus Love, executive director, Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project; Robert Meek, managing staff attorney, Disability Rights Network of PA; a panel of former inmates who were in solitary confinement; and a panel with family members in solitary confinement.
For more information about the Policy Committee or for hearing materials, visit www.pahouse.com/PolicyCommittee.
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