civil liberties

Several states across the U.S. are curbing their use of solitary confinements in prison. But in New York, corrections officers say it's a necessary tool to keep the guards and prisons safe.

Jameel Jaffer of the ACLU Center for Democracy says the Obama administration made progress on issues such as CIA black sites. But the record is mixed on surveillance, drones and other issues.

Emergency powers after last year's terrorist attacks have led to 3,500 house raids and hundreds of house arrests. Police, under pressure to prevent new attacks, risk alienating French Muslims.

The heavy reliance on solitary confinement in New Mexico went unquestioned for decades. Now, the state is gradually shifting away from the practice, though it probably won't ever fade from the system.

Many corrections officers oppose efforts to change the practice of isolating inmates. They say solitary confinement has been a trusted tool in American prisons for half a century.