Hadn't Really Thought of This

A tight band of protesters rallied outside the main gate to New Jersey State Prison Wednesday, criticizing the State Department of Corrections for moving 40 women into the erstwhile male penitentiary.

Also, the American Civil Liberties Union, or ACLU, and the ACLU of New Jersey filed a civil-rights lawsuit against the Corrections Department and joined other advocacy groups at the demonstration on a Trenton side street.

"For over half a year these women have been subjected to cruel and inhumane conditions," said Ed Barocas, who is the ACLU of New Jersey's legal director. "This is yet another consequence of the over-incarceration in our state that we desperately need to address."

He accused the Corrections Department, or DOC, of not allowing the women the same movement, work opportunities, education, library access and exercise time as is granted to the men.

"They are treated more restrictively than the men," Barocas said.