Federal civil rights review: Baltimore jail illegally keeping teens in solitary confinement
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The U.S. Justice Department says teenagers awaiting trial on adult charges in Baltimore are being kept in solitary confinement for far too long — up to 143 days in one case.
The department's civil rights attorneys say being isolated for so long can damage a person's mental health — especially with teenagers whose brains are still developing.
The State of Maryland says juvenile detainees accused of breaking jail rules should spend no longer than a week in solitary, and yet teenagers inside the Baltimore City Detention Center are being isolated for 13 days on average, and in some cases, far longer.
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State corrections officials told The Associated Press on Friday that they are committed to improving the situation.