A writer at City Paper explained I observed DOC’s frequent use of solitary confinement not just as a means to address serious infractions, but also as the default placement for people who expressed concern for their safety or who were experiencing a mental health crisis. People in solitary confinement in the DC Jail are typically held in a single cell for 23 hours a day; they are allowed one hour out of the cell for exercise and showers.

Individuals in DOC custody have been placed in isolation for nonviolent violations, such as substance use, often without the required internal hearing and attorney representation. Similar to the judicial process, if an incarcerated individual receives an institutional charge, they must have a hearing and be found guilty prior to receiving discipline. 

If an individual says they feel unsafe in general population, including for their sexual orientation or gender identity, that person is placed in “protective custody” and locked in a cell alone for 23 hours per day.

The DOC response to a mental health crisis is to send a person to a “safe cell,” where they are held until they are no longer determined to be a risk to themselves. Despite the different names, these practices all constitute solitary confinement and cause serious harm.

What I have observed to be DOC’s overreliance on isolation stands in stark contrast to its transparency around the practice. A recent report from the Council for Court Excellence highlights the difficulty the nonprofit had in getting even basic information about DOC’s use of solitary confinement. CCE requested data from fiscal years 2019 through 2021, for example, but DOC only released limited information from 2021. [MORE]