Solitary Confinement Use Should be Reduced and Elimanted

Solitary confinement has no uses that override its negative effects on the prisoner and on society in general. It causes mental and physical stress that is expressed through mental illness and increased violence. It increases recidivism according to what data we have, though I will admit that there is only a small amount of research on what effect segregation has on recidivism either positive or negative. The negative effects are enormous while the positives are barely palpable. Because of this I propose that we slowly reduce the use of solitary confinement while also improving the conditions in order to lessen its negative effects while maintaining its postive uses. (The positive uses being safety of the prisoner in question and safety of other prisoners.) The conditions that prisoners face in solitary confinement are among some of the worse conditions that can be found in the American penal system. They have little to no human contact, little space, and little freedom. The cells are between 60 and 80 square feet, furnished with only a cot, toilet, sink, and a small slit for a window, allowing for little to no natural light. The door is steel with a small metal slot for food and for the guard to give orders and directions. There are often search cameras and automatic doors in the more modern prisons, furthering the lack of human contact that prisoners in solitary confinement have. The bright, fluorescent lights are never turned off; disrupting the prisoner’s circadian rhythm and further adding to the extreme stress the prisoner endures (Cloud, 2015). The cells are physically unhealthy and psychologically traumatizing. Prisoners in solitary confinement also receive psychiatric treatment infrequently, despite the psychological stresses that isolation can impose on them (Gordon, 2014). Prisoners in solitary confinement spend between 22-24 hours a day in their cell with little to no human contact or interaction (Gordon, 2014). Often times they do not have any reading material, television or radio access, property, or visitation rights. This lack of sensory material makes the isolation even more severe (Gordon, 2014). Prisoners often remain in these conditions for years at a time. Solitary confinement introduces harsh conditions to prisoners and, if endured long enough, can cause mental illness of varying seriousness. Many studies show that isolation in such an environment for any period longer than ten days can cause psychological stress that can lead to hypertension, uncontrollable anger, hallucinations, emotional breakdowns, chronic depression, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors (Gordon, 2014). The full extent of psychological stress and trauma that inmates face can be seen by the level of self-harm and suicide that is present in solitary confinement. Self-harm and suicide is prevalent all throughout the penal system, however it is much more prevalent in those that endure the extreme isolation of solitary confinement. “Inmates punished by solitary confinement were approximately 6.9 times as likely to commit acts of self-harm after we controlled for the length of jail stay, SMI, age, and race/ethnicity,” (Kaba, 2014). This also held true for potentially fatal self-harm, albeit with a slightly lower rate of 6.3 times (Kaba, 2014). It can be argued that these acts are simply manipulative in nature, in an attempt to be removed from solitary confinement. However, it is important to keep in mind that solitary confinement must have a very large impact on inmates if they resort to self-harm in order to leave. If inmates are harming themselves or attempting suicide, it speaks volumes to the state of their mental health in an isolated environment like solitary confinement. Taking into consideration the level of psychological harm that segregation can cause to individuals i believe it is clear that it is more harmful to the individual than helpful. Let us next take into consideration what harm this can cause to society. Many inmates are released directly from solitary confinement into society, (lost the source, however I can find it and add it later if you need it). One study shows that 24.2 percent of prisoners in solitary confinement will reoffend within three years compared to the 20.5 percent for the general prison population (Gordon, 2014). Another study suggests that those that are sent straight back into the community from solitary confinement are more likely to reoffend than those that participated in step-down program before being released (Gordon, 2014). This can be explained by the lack of access to programs, treatments, and educational experiences that have been shown to reduce risk of recidivism. The lack of social bonds one has while incarcerated in solitary confinement may also cause stress that will lead to depression and rage. All of these things together can make it difficult to readjust to society, or even the general prison population, and cause these inmates to reoffend.These are my main points as of this moment as to why solitary confinement is more harmful then helpful for our society and for the individuals that must suffer through it. This is why I propose to reduce and eventually eliminate its use as it is today. Sources:Cloud, D., Drucker, E., Browne, A., & Parsons, J. (n.d.). Public Health and Solitary Confinement in the United States. Am J Public Health American Journal of Public Health, 18-26. Gordon, S. (n.d.). Solitary Confinement, Public Safety, and Recidivism. University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform, 47(2), 495-528. Kaba, F., Lewis, A., Glowa-Kollisch, S., Hadler, J., Lee, D., Alper, H., . . . Venters, H. (n.d.). Solitary Confinement and Risk of Self-Harm Among Jail Inmates. Am J Public Health American Journal of Public Health, 442-447.