Obama bans solitary confinement for juveniles in federal prisons

President Barack Obama delivers his State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, Pool)

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama says he is banning the use of solitary confinement to punish juvenile offenders in federal prisons.

Obama says the practice of isolating prisoners can cause long-term psychological effects, particularly when used to punish young offenders and the mentally ill.

Obama announced the ban Monday evening in an op-ed on the Washington Post. It comes as part of a package of reforms aimed at curbing the use of solitary confinement in federal prisons.

The president says the changes will ensure that solitary confinement is a practice of "last resort" used when prisoners present a danger to themselves or others.

He says the new policy will affect 10,000 prisoners.