About Us

History

In April 2014, social worker Mary Buser, formerly an assistant mental health chief on Rikers Island, wrote an op-ed in The Washington Post entitled “Solitary's Mockery of Human Rights” which exposed the horror of solitary confinement on Rikers Island. Spurred on by the op-ed, retired social worker Moya Atkinson brought social workers and allies from around the world together to form Social Workers & Allies Against Solitary Confinement (SWASC).

SWASC has been an issue chapter of the Social Welfare Action Alliance (SWAA) since 2018.

In 2022, SWASC went under the fiscal sponsorship of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT).

Mission Statement

We are a national task force of social workers and allies dedicated to ending the torturous practice of solitary confinement that is carried out in our nation’s jails and prisons, disproportionately affecting people of color, the LGBTQ population, and people suffering from mental illness. 

We seek to support those who have been impacted by solitary confinement—both solitary survivors and correctional health care professionals—through education, advocacy, and policy, as we simultaneously work towards the implementation of humane alternatives.

Vision Statement

We envision a world without the torturous practice of solitary confinement, recognizing the dignity and worth of all people.