By C1 Staff
Texas — Issues related to solitary confinement are being examined by Texas lawmakers.
Lawmakers are particularly worried about those who make the transition directly from solitary confinement to civilian life, according to the Texas Tribune. The average stay in administrative segregation is 3.2 years, but some inmates have been there for more than decades.
So far this year, 878 inmates finished their sentence and were released directly from administrative segregation.
The psychological impact of such conditions continues to be an issue, according to the article. Travis Lee of the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition highlighted a letter from an inmate who had been in administrative segregation for 18 years before being released.
“I have difficulty concentrating while reading and talking and I forget what I was trying to say mid-sentence,” the inmate wrote. “I’ve watched sane men slowly go insane, become a person I’ve never seen before. They lose their ability to rationalize.”
Senate Criminal Justice Committee Chairman John Whitmire said he isn’t concerned about the inmates’ comfort level, but the threat they may pose to the public since segregation does not allow for educational or rehabilitative programs.
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) is looking to expand opportunities for inmates to get out of administrative segregation by renouncing their gang affiliations, the article said.
According to Brad Livingston, the executive director of TDCJ, about 60 percent of inmates end up in segregation due to their membership in a gang.
“It’s not in our interest to have inmates in administrative segregation that could be housed in general population,” he said.
Meanwhile, Whitmire recommended a working group be convened to study the best way to rehabilitate these inmates.