Bill would curtail solitary confinement for detained kids
OLYMPIA — State lawmakers are weighing a bill that would make Washington the country’s 11th state to limit or prohibit solitary confinement as a punishment for detained children.
HB 2277 defines solitary confinement as separating a juvenile from others for more than 15 minutes and would ban the practice, limit the amount of time a minor can spend in isolation and require detention centers to document when a boy or girl is placed in isolation. The bill passed through the House last week with bipartisan support and is currently in a Senate committee.
“Anyone who takes an educated look at juvenile solitary confinement would immediately realize that it’s a cruel violation of the Constitution,” said Kendrick Washington, a lobbyist, civil rights attorney and youth policy counsel for the Washington branch of the American Civil Liberties Union.
The bill prohibits the use of solitary confinement as punishment, but there are instances in which a child can be held in isolation, including if they are at risk of harming themselves or others. With HB 2277, minors can be placed in isolation for no more than four hours in a day, and must have access to clothing, a mattress with bedding, a toilet, a sink, a shower and reading and writing materials. Pregnant juveniles cannot be held in isolation.
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