康涅狄格州惩教部门已与美国民权联盟和残障权利康涅狄格州组织达成和解协议，承诺结束在单人牢房内对囚犯进行的长期约束做法。[1]根据该和解，单人牢房约束涉及用铁链锁住囚犯的腿和手腕，将其手臂用系链绑在脚上，然后将其锁在牢房内数小时甚至数天。[1]
协议明确禁止这种约束方式的使用，但仍然允许在囚犯对自己或他人构成直接伤害风险时使用全身固定约束。[1]根据和解条款，惩教部门将修改相关政策、对员工进行全身固定约束培训，并向民权联盟报告约束使用情况。[1]临时惩教专员Sharonda Carlos表示："我仍然致力于提供必要的培训和资源，帮助惩教人员在不使用单人牢房约束的情况下安全管理具有挑战性的情况。"[1]
这项和解源于美国民权联盟于2021年代表残障权利康涅狄格州组织提起的诉讼，该诉讼针对康涅狄格州惩教部门在北方惩教机构对患精神疾病者使用单独监禁和单人牢房约束的做法。[1]协议将于9月1日生效。[1]
Connecticut's Department of Correction has agreed to end the use of in-cell restraints in a settlement reached with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Disability Rights Connecticut (DRCT).[1] The practice involved chaining prisoners' legs and wrists together, binding their hands to their feet, and locking them in cells for hours or even days.[1]
Under the agreement, the department will discontinue in-cell restraints entirely, though full-body restraints may still be used when inmates pose a direct risk of harm to themselves or others.[1] The settlement requires the Department of Correction to modify its policies, provide staff training on full-body restraint procedures, and report usage data to the ACLU.[1] The agreement takes effect on September 1.[1]
Interim Commissioner of Correction Sharonda Carlos stated: "I remain committed to providing the necessary training and resources to help our correctional personnel safely manage challenging situations without the use of in-cell restraints."[1] The settlement stems from a 2021 lawsuit filed by the ACLU on behalf of Disability Rights Connecticut, which challenged the department's use of solitary confinement and in-cell restraints on individuals with mental illness at the Northern Correctional Institution.[1]