02/20/2014 01:02 PM EST
The double punishment
experienced by death-sentenced prisoners is documented. This
publication should be read by any stakeholder connected with the capital
punishment process—policy leaders, lawyers, judges, and the public.
Sections contained in this report are: introduction; trapped in a broken
system; punishment on top of punishment; survey reveals majority of
death rows hold prisoners in solitary confinement—cramped and bare cells
are the norm, most on death row experience extreme isolation and
inactivity, and too many on death row are denied religious services; the
devastating effects of prolonged solitary confinement are well known;
“death row phenomenon” and staggering delays exacerbate damage; and
conclusion. “Regardless of their stance on the death penalty, the people
of the United States understand that a fair justice system must be a
humane justice system. And by this measure, we are currently failing. It
is time for reformers on both sides of the death penalty debate to
recognize the hidden harms of solitary confinement inflicted on death
row prisoners across the country. Solitary confinement is not part of
the sentence. In order to build a criminal justice system that
accurately reflects our values, we must end the routine use of solitary
confinement of death row prisoners” (p. 3). SOURCE: American Civil
Liberties Union (ACLU) (New York, NY).
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