New York City Rikers Island Jail To End Solitary Confinement For 16 & 17 Year-Old Inmates By December 2014

The New York City Department of Correction (DOC) will end its use of solitary confinement for 16 and 17 year-old offenders housed at the Rikers Island jail complex by December 31, 2014. For offenders under age 18, the DOC intends to replace solitary confinement with “alternative options, intermediate consequences for misbehavior and steps designed to pre-empt incidents from occurring.” Offenders age 16 and 17 represent less than 300 of the approximately 11,000 inmates at Rikers Island. Approximately 51 adolescents are currently in solitary confinement.

The DOC’s new approach is in response to censure from the federal . . .