The physical details of a person's daily experience in isolated confinement is worth examining.  The cells are a bit bigger than a king sized bed and the offender spends 22 plus hours a day there.  In this environment, you sleep, eat and defecate - one lives their entire daily life in that cell.
In Colorado, the average length of time one remains in solitary confinement is approximately 14 months.  All experts agree that long-term isolation should not extend beyond 30 days. 30 days versus 14 months.  Studies tell us that isolated inmates are 7 times more likely to hurt or kill themselves than inmates in general population.
No one would disagree that solitary confinement is at times necessary to protect guards and prisoners from potentially dangerous prisoners.  However, as Director Raemisch himself tells us, solitary confinement has been overused, misused and abused for years.  Thankfully, more attention has recently been brought to this serious practice, and there has been greater movement toward questioning its wisdom.  The ACLU has proudly stood at the forefront of this movement, along with many other notable groups and individuals.  This issue is important.
Colorado has significantly reduced the number of prisoners in solitary confinement.  In just the past three years, we have seen a 60% reduction of prisoners in solitary confinement.   That is laudable - though we are keenly aware that Colorado remains above the national average in the percentage of prisoners in solitary confinement compared to the total number of prisoners.  The national average is 2% and Colorado sits at 3.5%, although that number fluctuates quite a bit.
Today's bill addresses one aspect of solitary confinement—the placement of offenders with a serious mental illness in such conditions.  The bill before you, thankfully, prohibits the placement of offenders with SMI in long-term isolated confinement.  This form of confinement will only render one more seriously mentally ill. I have often said that if you weren't mentally ill when go into solitary, you sure will be coming out.
In Colorado, offenders with a serious mental illness have been placed in solitary confinement for years with no road out.  We know that through the great work and leadership of Director Raemisch and Deputy Director Wasko, many prisoners with SMI have been transferred out of what CDOC terms "administrative segregation" and into a treatment program, and some actually into general population.  What we have discovered, however, is that some prisoners in CDOC's treatment program are living in conditions similar to—no, actually identical to, solitary confinement.  That practice must end.
For persons with a SMI, courts are unanimous in their conclusion.   Because isolation is so potentially damaging to the seriously mentally ill, every court to address the issue has ruled that isolated confinement violates the 8th Amendment's prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment.
Although the ACLU is here in support of this bill, I'll be frank.  The bill falls short in an important way: the bill lacks the definition of key terms—SMI, long term isolated confinement and the term "exigent circumstances."  CDOC resisted defining those terms in legislation, feeling that such codification would interfere too much in CDOC operations and deny them the flexibility they feel they need.  Rather than codifying these terms, as of April 1, 2014, CDOC implemented new policies that establish a treatment program.  The policies CDOC has recently implemented are crucial to this bill's success.
Prohibiting the placement of offenders with a serious mental illness in solitary confinement is one step.  True reform can only come from focused care and and proper mental health treatment and that can only be provided with adequate mental health care professionals on a very regular basis.  That means group therapy and one-on-one time with a therapist.  That costs dollars and is no easy undertaking.  But it's critical. Humane treatment aimed at true rehabilitation is critical for all of us, because 97% of today's prison population will be back in our communities and live as our neighbors.
We commend Director Raemisch for his work on solitary confinement and for his willingness to speak about its abuses in the public domain.  He has taken his message to these halls and to the hall of the U.S. Congress.  Since early 2011, when Tom Clements was Director, we have seen a sea of change at CDOC.  And Director Raemisch's challenge within CDOC cannot be underestimated.  Colorado's historic reliance on solitary confinement has created a culture of punishment and this is counterproductive to the successful re-entry of today's offenders.
SB 64 is but one small step.  I hope you'll take it and vote in its favor.

I served in the U.S. Army in Desert Storm and Panama from 1985 until 1993. It was in the service that I learned the true value of freedom.
After I retired, I married my wife Susan. Together, we’re now raising our two sons in Denver. But my friend Sgt. Metcalf, who served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, is not afforded the same freedom—despite putting his life on the line to defend this country. See, Sgt. Metcalf is gay and in Colorado, he’s denied the freedom to marry the person he loves.
I believe that anyone who puts on the uniform to serve this country deserves the same respect as anyone else. That’s why I am proud to star in Why Marriage Matters Colorado’s new TV ad airing statewide in Colorado—along with Sgt. Metcalf and a few of my fellow veteran friends—to show that Colorado is ready for the freedom to marry.
Click here to watch this new ad, and then share it with your friends.

After being married for 8, going on 9 years, there’s nothing I love more than being a Dad and a husband. And certainly, my marriage hasn’t been weakened one bit because of same-sex couples who want to make a lifetime commitment to each other.
As a lifelong Coloradan, born and raised, it saddens me that our state does not afford all rights and protections to all of its citizens—especially a decorated war veteran like my friend Sgt. Metcalf.
Sgt. Metcalf is serving his country just like I did. He should have the same freedoms we all have, and that includes the freedom to marry.
Click here to watch the new ad hitting the airwaves in Colorado today. Then share with your friends to make sure this important message is heard far and wide.

Thanks,
Staff Sgt. Izzy Abbas U.S. Army 198

DENVER – In its ongoing work to demonstrate that the broad majority of Coloradans support the freedom to marry, today Why Marriage Matters Colorado, a coalition of state and national organizations, released a 30-second television spot featuring a group of local veterans standing up for their gay comrade in arms.
The ad, launched on television statewide this morning, will air tonight during NBC’s “The Voice.” The spot features three military veterans who, together with their friend, U.S. Air Force Master Sergeant T. Ashley Metcalf – who is still actively serving his country – represent 45 years of military service. Sgt. Metcalf is gay, and his band of brothers – former Army Staff Sgt. Izzy Abbass, retired U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Dennis Mont’Ros, and former Marine Sgt. Will Glenn – talk about the importance of the freedom to marry for everyone.
Highlighting their years in military service where Sgt. Metcalf served in Iraq and Afghanistan, former Staff Sgt. Abbass says, “He should have the same freedoms we have, and that includes the freedom to marry.”
“Gay and lesbian Coloradans have long served their country in the military, as first responders in our cities and towns, and as valued members of our communities. We chose to tell just one of those many stories – this story of a military band of brothers who know firsthand what it means to stand up for freedom and equality,” said Dave Montez, Executive Director of One Colorado, one of the lead organizations of Why Marriage Matters Colorado, along with the ACLU of Colorado and Freedom to Marry.
“We were proud and honored to be asked to stand up for our friend and his freedoms and liberties,” said Sgt. Abbass. “But we chose to do this ad not only for Ash, but for all Coloradans who deserve the freedom to marry. We didn’t serve to protect freedom for some of us, but for all of us.”
Watch the ad and read bios of the veterans featured at: http://marriageCO.org/Ad

Text of the ad:
Sergeant Mont’Ros:     Together the four of us have over 45 years of military service.
Sergeant Abbass:          The word “veteran” encapsulates so much.
Sergeant Glenn:            Loyalty and respect.  We have each other’s back.
Sergeant Metcalf:         I served in Iraq and Afghanistan.  I’m gay, these guys are straight.  But we’re all veterans and we’ve all served our country.
Sergeant Abbass:          I’ve been married for 8 years, going on 9, happily married.  And why shouldn’t Ash, a good friend of mine, be afforded that same opportunity?
Sergeant Glenn:            Sergeant Metcalf is serving his country, same as the rest of us did.
Sergeant Abbass:          He should have the same freedoms we have, and that includes the freedom to marry. Why Marriage Matters Colorado is broadening the dialogue with Coloradans about why marriage is important to same-sex couples and their families and why it is consistent with the values of liberty and freedom. More information on this statewide initiative – which is being spearheaded by leading statewide LGBT advocacy group One Colorado, ACLU of Colorado, and Freedom to Marry – can be found here: www.whymarriagematterscolorado.org