U.S. President Barack Obama has adopted reforms to the federal prison system that include banning solitary confinement for juvenile prisoners and limiting when it can be used for adults.
In an opinion piece posted late Monday by The Washington Post, Obama said there are as many as 100,000 people in solitary confinement in the U.S. and that the practice brings potential "devastating, lasting psychological consequences."
There are nearly 200,000 federal prisoners, and Obama said eliminating solitary confinement for juveniles and those who commit low-level offenses while incarcerated will affect 10,000 people.