Dozens of New York state lawmakers have written to Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the state's top corrections official to urge them to end solitary confinement of prisoners.In a letter released Thursday and signed by more than 40 members of the Senate and Assembly, the group says the practice of isolating inmates for long periods of time amounts to torture.
They cite a recent report by the organization Disability Rights New York that alleged abuse and neglect of prisoners held in solitary confinement at Attica Correctional Facility.
Cuomo's administration insists it has taken significant steps to end traditional solitary confinement with new rules and standards for when a person may be placed in isolation.
