In 2019 then Governor Murphy banned the use of Solitary confinment in the State of New Jersey. Former Governor cited that the use was harsh and caused devestating mental health conditions on and should not be used. The Doc, rather than creating limits, recreated its policy and created a solitary unit ths is worst than what existed prior to the reform law Isolated Confinement Restriction Act (ICRA).

The Department of Corrections, not only pushed back, but manipulated its policy renaming its Administrative Segregation Units as Restorative Housing Units. The units have been inspected by the Ombudsperson office, a independent state monitor. The Ombperson office also confirmed that their was raw sewage, compaints of excessive force, two confrimed sucides and a lack of out of cell time for inmates to recreate.

No matter what I think about the conditions that are happening within New Jersey State Prisons, and I am shocked to know that solitary confinement still does exist. New Jersey Department of Corrections has now named its solitary units, as Restorative housing Units (RHU). These units currently Exist at South Woods State Prison, New Jersey State Prison, Northern State prison and Edna Mahan Correctional State Prison for women. One of the worst is perhaps the Northern State Prison, where there has been several deaths and numerous sucides within the last several years.

The new administration, has come out with new directives, that have made the conditions within the solitary units dangerous. For example inmates within Northern State Prison were advised via administration two years ago, that there will no longer be in-door recreation, a decision that has led to inmates spending 24 hours confined to their cells. Just last year the DOC also made a decision to also use a level system that restricts inmates from accessing emails with their loved ones and limits their visits. This is a two-level system, one that deprives inmates of basic things when they enter the RHU units. Solitary is back in New Jersey by another name.

These decisions have come with their own consequences, and some have even pushed inmates with mental health issues to committ Suicide.

As a advocate and individual who has spent almost two decades in the New Jersey Prison system, I can equiviqually say that the conditions within the prison system are reaching a dangerous point, and should concern everyone within the community. These behaviors that are being learned and harbored do not only stay inside the prison system, they eventually make their way back to our communities. Often causing harm.

For the vulnerable population inmates, such as those who are Transgender, 21 years of age or younger, or having mental health issues, they have also been forced to endure lack of services, and denied adequate mental health services, above all they are at risk of harm, they are placed in the cells with predators, many have complained about sexual assault and the DOC has taken little actions, the environment is a hostile one, which breeds violence and incites more misbehavior.

The presence, of Drugs, has become a problem within NJDOC, specifically K-2 and Pills (Excteasy and fetnyall). What is perhaps the most concerning is the age that inmates are now being exposed to drugs and the behaviors that are related to them being high on these drugs. They are attempting fighting each other, using weapons, and often not even afraid of the life altering consequences that come from them using these drugs.

The DOC’s stance has been to place them in Solitary confinement, which is clearly not working, the DOC’s response has been to also remove numerous things from comissary such as tea bags, Pins, Pencils, the DOC even paid 1.2 million dollars to a inmate ran company that will now scan all mail to inmates in New Jersey (Pigionly) these, changes have done very little to curb the drug use, what they have done is cause hardship on inmates, mail now takes nearly 3 months to reach a inmate and is now digitally copied, so the inmate never recives the original.

Other inmates have also been restrcited from accessing certain commissary items, because of DOC’s failed response to K-2.

I feel like I am seeing this entire system, become one big ass lie. I see the DOC Commissioner talking about changing lives and adding programs, and doing all these amazing things, but than its hard to understand the impact of these things when we have raw sewage coming up through pipes in the RHU, its hard to even understand these changes when the commissioner has made restrcittrison that also include not allowing inmates to use the emails, when they are placed in the RHU unit.

Again these are the, things that are going on, New Jersey is still operating solitary confinment units.