Queens Councilman Robert Holden introduced a bill on Thursday, Feb. 10, that would bring back punitive segregation for inmates under 21 in city jails.
Punitive segregation, also known as solitary confinement, locks people in their cells for 23 hours of the day as punishment for a violent offense while in custody, as described by the city. Holden’s bill specifies that solitary confinement is allowable for inmates ages 18 to 21 who commit a violent act and have undergone therapeutic counseling for a prior violent outburst.
