The goal of the Open MI Door campaign is to end solitary confinement in all Michigan prisons, jails, and juvenile facilities, bringing our state into full compliance with the UN’s Mandela Rules. Solitary confinement, also known as segregation, isolation, or social and sensory deprivation (SSD), is defined as: isolated confinement for more than 20 hours per day without meaningful human contact. We define solitary for youth as involuntary confinement alone in a cell, room, or other area for more than 4 hours (outside of sleeping time).

The campaign seeks to have Organizations and entities sign on to the Position Statement below, endorsing the Open MI Door campaign.  Organizations that have signed on will be shared with Michigan Leadership.

In pursuit of this goal, we seek to affect policies and practices that:

Eliminate indefinite or prolonged isolation in all its forms and for all people;

Limit short-term isolation to 15 days or less, and to extreme cases where it is needed to protect the safety of incarcerated persons and corrections staff;

Ban isolation entirely for youth ages 21 and under;

Ban isolation for people with psychiatric or physical disabilities; cognitive or sensory impairment; elders over the age of 55; pregnant women and new mothers;

Prohibit the use of isolation for individuals who have any medical or mental health conditions that might be exacerbated by such placement;

Prohibit the use of isolation as a form of protective custody for vulnerable groups such as individuals who identify as LGBTQ+;

Prohibit the use of isolation as punishment;

Prohibit mandatory use of isolation due to crime of conviction;

Replace the practice of isolation with humane, safe, and effective alternatives; and

Ensure transparency, accountability, and independent oversight in the use of isolation and in conditions of confinement in general.

Please complete the form below to add your organization to the endorsement of the campaign! We ask that you sign the Open MI Door Petition as an individual.  The petition is listed on the openmidoor.org website.  

Visit www.micpr.org/Open-MI-Door to read the full Statement of Principles.