Solitary confinement is widely understood to exacerbate, or even create, mental illness particularly among vulnerable populations. However, the practice is widespread in New Mexico’s prisons and jails. In 2017, Susana Martinez vetoed a bill with bipartisan support that would have limited the use of solitary confinement for children, pregnant women, and people living with a mental illness. This year we’re working with Representative Moe Maestas and Senator Mary Kay Papen to introduce an even stronger bill that would greatly reduce the reliance on this inhumane practice.
