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The front of Auburn Correctional Facility on State Street.
The Cayuga County Legislature is urging the state to repeal a new solitary confinement rule that many are blaming for an increase in prison violence. We agree that the measure may have flaws, but efforts might better be made to repair the law rather than repeal it.
The Humane Alternatives to Long-Term Solitary Confinement Act, or HALT, limits the number of days incarcerated individuals may be kept in segregated units, but a growing argument is being made that convicts now have fewer reasons to exhibit better behavior.
There is evidence of physical and psychological harm from long periods of isolation. There also does seem to be mounting evidence that prisons have become more dangerous, with an increasing number of assaults on prison staff and between inmates.
Reducing the use of solitary confinement is in many ways a worthwhile effort, but prison reforms must also keep workplace safety in mind. It is a tricky balancing act, and we believe that the state should continue exploring options and alternatives.
Some legislators expressed that “revise” should be the overall message of the county’s stance, and that makes great sense, because the political reality is that the state Legislature in its current form would not even consider a full repeal.
We’ve advocated similar approaches with the state’s bail reform — fixing the problems in the original law while trying to preserve the positive aspects of it. While there are still many critics of what’s on the books in the state regarding bail, no one can deny that some adjustments have been made for the better.
The same can, and should, be done with HALT. Elected officials and stakeholders within the criminal justice system should continue working to have the Legislature address it. But rather than push for a repeal that is very unlikely to happen, it would be better to revisit the law and make some changes in an attempt to correct the imbalance that it has apparently caused.
The Citizen Editorial board includes president and director of local sales and marketing Michelle Bowers, executive editor Jeremy Boyer and managing editor Mike Dowd.

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The front of Auburn Correctional Facility on State Street.
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