The HALT Act has been one of the central bones of contention of the now 11-day wildcat strike among New York correction officers. Spectrum News 1 learned Thursday evening a tentative deal had been reached between negotiators.

The 2022 law limits how solitary confinement may be used in prisons across the state. It also creates more humane and effective alternatives to such confinement through educational programs.

Organizations like “HALT Solitary Confinement” have been vocal about their anger over the decision by the state Department of Correction and Community Supervision (DOCCS) to suspend elements of the HALT Act from the beginning of the wildcat strikes.

But recently, that decision has gained a broader range of critics, including the New York state conference of the NAACP.

Earlier this week, the civil rights organization issued a press release stating it’s profoundly disturbed by the decision to abandon implementation of HALT. 

“Prolonged solitary confinement is torture and, contrary to the narrative of the moment, it makes everyone in prisons and jails less safe,” the release went on to state. 

Christopher Alexander, executive director of the NAACP New York's Conference, joined Capital Tonight’s Susan Arbetter to discuss the ongoing situation.