Rep. Richmond Featured in Harvard Journal on Legislation
WASHINGTON – Rep. Richmond (LA-02), a graduate of Harvard University’s Executive Education Program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, authored a policy essay that has been featured in the Winter 2015 edition of the University’s Journal on Legislation. The essay, titled Toward a More Constitutional Approach to Solitary Confinement: The Case for Reform, discusses the need for reforms to the criminal justice system, focusing on the practice of solitary confinement:
“There is no question that inmates must pay their debts to society, but justice demands that we address the matter within the limits of our Constitution and accepted standards of human decency,” said Rep. Richmond. “The rising prevalence of solitary confinement as an administrative tool for public and private penitentiaries has also led to a rise in disturbing stories by inmates subjected to a psychological, emotional, and oftentimes physical hell. We are better than that as a society.”
“The growth in the use of solitary confinement has happened with little oversight or discussion. We cannot continue to allow that to happen. We should have a national conversation about this issue, and Congress should take a leading role in it. There are moral and financial reasons to act, but it is critical that policymakers reform the use of solitary confinement so that it reflects the proper aims of criminal justice policy. This Congress I will introduce legislation to start the conversation and bring the practice more in line with the Constitution.”
The full policy essay can be found here.
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