Everyday thousands of humans and millions of nonhumans endure solitary confinement. Human prisoners held in this way are confined for 22 to 24 hours a day for weeks, months, or even years on end in cells the size of a parking space. For these humans, the experience is tortuous. Captive animals held in solitary confinement similarly spend much of their lives locked into tiny spaces, isolated, and deprived of the types of interactions and environment essential to their wellbeing. And, like humans, they are driven mad. In human and nonhuman settings, the agony of solitary is chillingly alike and harmful. And, in neither setting is it justifiable or necessary.
In their article, Powerless Beings: Solitary Confinement of Humans and Non Humans in America, published in Nebraska Law Review, Haub Law Professors Michael Mushlin and David Cassuto use a comparative format to examine the moral, penological and scientific shortcomings of solitary confinement across species. The article sheds light on the importance of empowering all creatures subjected to solitary confinement. “If we adequately protect all vulnerable beings, the unnecessary suffering inflicted by solitary confinement will finally end,” they write.
Pace Haub Law Professor Bennett Gershman pens an op-ed in amNewYork arguing that New York’s U.S. Attorney John Sarcone exemplifies what he views as problematic Trump-era federal prosecutor appointments. Professor Gershman contends that such appointments risk politicizing the Department of Justice and eroding public trust in the rule of law.
The Land Use Law Center at Pace University is featured in MyRye.com for co-leading public engagement in Rye’s new Comprehensive Plan — the city’s first major planning update in nearly 40 years. The Center will help guide community input as Rye develops its long-term framework for housing, infrastructure, and environmental resilience.
Congratulations to Elisabeth Haub School of Law’s ADR Mediation Team on an outstanding performance at the Client Counseling Competition. This unique competition centered on legal challenges arising from artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. Ultimately, the Pace Haub Law team, Melanie Mahoney (3L), Lana Hubbs (3L), and Zella Ertl (2L), finished as Semi-Finalists.