SB 812: Youth in Solitary Confinement Reduction Act

• Prohibits subjecting youth prisoners to solitary confinement (more than 20 hours daily in isolation) except as specified in the statute, effective July 1, 2013.

• Limits emergency cell confinement to a maximum of 24 hours, requires mental health clinician evaluation within 1 hour of placement and every 4 hours thereafter, and mandates visual checks at least 4 times per hour.

• Limits disciplinary cell confinement to a maximum of 72 hours for major rule violations and requires youth to receive at least 2 hours daily of out-of-cell exercise, daily showers, and access to meals, medical treatment, and educational services equivalent to general population prisoners.

• Requires youth in protective custody to receive at least 5 hours daily of out-of-cell time including 2 hours of exercise, access to personal property, law library, and the same correspondence and visitation privileges as general population prisoners.

• Requires the Department of Corrections and county sheriffs to review and certify compliance with these provisions by January 1, 2014, and to adopt necessary policies and procedures to implement the act.