As I have done in previous weeks, I discuss true crime cases. As of last week, I changed the route and discussed the idea of killers having fans and support groups. This week in my criminology class, we discussed prison systems and specifically elaborated on the concept of solitary confinement. Many notorious killers such as Jeffery Dahmer and Robert Maudsley are examples of solitary confinement inmates. For this week’s blog, I will be discussing my views on solitary confinement, based on readings from my Crimnology 100 textbook, and a documentary we watched this week, which I will link in the blog.
Solitary confinement is a very inhumane form of imprisonment in my opinion. The “purpose” of this is reasonable, but the fact that there is no limit on how long one can be contained in solitary is cruel and inhumane. The longest one should be held in solitary is 1-2 weeks. In my criminology textbook titled: “Introduction to Criminal Justice” by Kenneth J. Peak and Tamara D. Madensen-Herold, it provides the example of: “While in solitary confinement in a Massachusetts prison, an inmate cut his legs and arms, tried to hang himself with tubing from a breathing machine, smashed the machine to get a sharp fragment to slice his neck, and ate pieces of it, hoping to cause internal bleeding; he eventually hanged himself.” This is a prime example of what residing in solitary confinement, especially as a mentally ill inmate for example, can do to a person.
To add, prisoners in solitary confinement are typically not allowed to make phone calls or have contact visits, and their recreational time often involves being taken to another solitary area, such as a cage as shown in the video, where they pace alone for an hour before being returned to their cell. This is unacceptable treatment under all circumstances. Yes, people do bad things, but they do not deserve to be treated as if they are not human. If one is too much of a threat to be around the other inmates, why are they not held in a maximum security prison with trained professionals to handle them? Also, one can be punished longer for attempted suicide while in solitary and this is an idea I cannot fathom either. This should be handled in a more serious and caring way, on the psychological perspective, not handled in a deterrent way.
Quakers noticed that their original use for solitary, which was part of an experiment to improve prison conditions and rehabilitate inmates, was making people go “crazy”, so why later U.S. officials assume to use it a second time as a form of imprisonment, thinking it would make things any better? The mental health unit displayed in the documentary is a good rehabilitative form of imprisonment and they should take some of the components from that unit and apply it to the general population. This could lead to less people having to be sent to solitary confinement. A lot of these inmates in solitary are victims of broken promises, and this can lead to distrust between the inmates and the facility’s staff. This is more than likely the reason why these inmates want to retaliate amongst staff once they get out. All of these concepts correlate with one another, and if institutions can develop a plan of action that combats all of these possibilities, prisons might be able to greatly advance.
https://www.pbs.org/video/frontline-solitary-nation-show/
I like how you took this turn in your blogs! I also agree with you that solitary confinement is inhumane and should be taken away from ALL prisons in the US. Confining one to a room with themselves with no human interaction is not ideal for one’s mental health. This blog clearly proves this idea! Well done!
I agree that the current state of most prisons is extremely inhumane. While many prisoners have done horrible things, they are still human, and treating them with respect seems much more likely to create positive change than sticking them in a room by themselves. Prisoners can change, but it will never happen in solitary confinement.