CBC Chairman G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) released the following statement in response to President Obama’s decision to ban solitary confinement for juveniles in federal prisons and the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Montgomery v. Louisiana recognizing the requirement of sentencing courts to consider a child’s ‘diminished culpability and heightened capacity for change’ before condemning him or her to die in prison:
“Members of the Congressional Black Caucus applaud President Obama’s bold executive action to prohibit the use of solitary confinement for some of the country’s low-level offenders and to ban the practice as punishment for the youngest offenders and the mentally ill. Solitary confinement has been used throughout American history, but the results have proven to be devastating and often unfitting of the crime. The CBC has long held that such confinement is a human rights issue, and we commend President Obama for taking another strong and significant step to reform our criminal justice system.
“We also applaud the Supreme Court’s decision that now requires sentencing courts to consider the immaturity of youth and the possibility of change, diminishing the justifications for imposing harsh sentences on juvenile offenders. We cannot simply lock up our young people and throw away the key. While there must be an appropriate penalty for wrongdoing, not recognizing the immaturity of youth and the ability to change can do irreparable harm to individuals who, in later years, have the potential to be a productive member of our society.”
