ALBANY, N.Y. (NEXSTAR) — New York's prisons face a human rights complaint filed with the United Nations. Filed this week, it coincides with the release of an oversight report on the Humane Alternatives to Long-Term Solitary Confinement Act, a state law meant to limit segregated or solitary confinement.

The HALT Act (S2836/A2277A) took effect on March 31, 2022. With few exceptions, the law bans prisons from confining anyone to a cell for over 17 hours a day for more than 15 days in a row, or for a total of 20 days within a 60-day period.

It also prohibits segregated confinement for "special populations," like people under 22 or over 54, or with mental health conditions or physical or cognitive disabilities. Instead of solitary, the law created new therapeutic residential rehabilitation un

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