Solitary Confinement Reform Act
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Solitary Confinement Reform Act
This bill establishes standards for the use of solitary confinement at federal prisons.
It generally limits the use of solitary confinement to situations that meet certain criteria, including confinement for the briefest term and under the least restrictive conditions practicable. It also limits the use of solitary confinement for certain categories of inmates, including pregnant women and individuals with serious mental illness.
The bill requires the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to
- establish a transitional process for inmates in solitary confinement,
- provide comprehensive mental health evaluations for inmates in solitary confinement,
- train employees on mental illness and the psychological effects of solitary confinement, and
- report annually on the use of solitary confinement.
It establishes, within the BOP, an Office of the Civil Rights Ombudsman.
Finally, it establishes a solitary confinement resource center within the Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text: CR S5549-5553; Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S5548-5553)
- Introduced in Senate Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML
Cite this page
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 5038: Solitary Confinement Reform Act. 117th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/117-S-5038/
"S. 5038: Solitary Confinement Reform Act." 117th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/117-S-5038/.
S. 5038, 117th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/117-S-5038/.
[S. 5038: Solitary Confinement Reform Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/117-S-5038/)