Psychological Issues of Solitary Confinement Along with the ethical issues of solitary confinement, there are psychological issues that inmates develop due to lengthy stay in solitary confinement. “In 1993, Craig Haney, a social psychologist, interviewed a group of inmates in solitary confinement at Pelican Bay State Prison, California’s toughest penal institution.” (Weir, 2012) This was done due to the fact that states were beginning to build super-maximum prisons to house more dangerous and volatile inmates that would be seen as a major threat to other inmates who committed less violent crimes. His interview surrounded the effects of those who were placed in these super-maximum prisons. “Twenty years later, he returned to Pelican Bay for
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President Barack Obama’s views on solitary confinement may be the views of multiple Americans, that violent and volatile behaviors cannot be fixed with simply locking away a person in a confined space and leaving them for several years without any form of human contact. This can cause numerous wear and tear on a person since socialization is essential. Numerous people also view Justice Anthony M. Kennedy’s view on solitary confinement as realistic. Whenever an inmate leaves solitary confinement, they are more likely to react to situations and events more violently than before they were sent in ‘the hole’. Because these individuals were separated, their socializing skills decrease as withdrawal from human interaction increases. “Many prisoners recounted struggling daily to maintain their sanity. They spoke of longing to catch sight of a tree or a bird.” One prisoner related his experience to that of a bird stating, “If you put a parakeet in a cage for years and you take it out, it will die, so I stay in my cage.” (Weir, 2012) These experiences cause mental illnesses due to the fact that these individuals are not able to cope with a normal social life …show more content…
Haney’s interviews were conducted with 56 inmates who have been in solitary confinement for around 10-28 years. These inmates were sent to solitary confinement for years due to violent crimes and the potential danger of gang violence increasing through prisons in America. These problems, they believe will be combatted by the use of locking these criminals away in solitary confinement. “consigning inmates to solitary for years, or even decades, as California has done, is viewed by an increasing number of top corrections officials around the country as unnecessary and ineffective, and some human rights groups have called it torture.” (Weir, 2012) Many individuals believe that solitary confinement is torture to a person’s mental and physical health. These physical and mental health not only affects these inmates, it affects the family and friends of these inmates. They are not able to contact them for years or even physical touch them in any way whenever they visit them. A simple hug is not allowed when family and friends visit those in solitary
President Barack Obama’s views on solitary confinement may be the views of multiple Americans, that violent and volatile behaviors cannot be fixed with simply locking away a person in a confined space and leaving them for several years without any form of human contact. This can cause numerous wear and tear on a person since socialization is essential. Numerous people also view Justice Anthony M. Kennedy’s view on solitary confinement as realistic. Whenever an inmate leaves solitary confinement, they are more likely to react to situations and events more violently than before they were sent in ‘the hole’. Because these individuals were separated, their socializing skills decrease as withdrawal from human interaction increases. “Many prisoners recounted struggling daily to maintain their sanity. They spoke of longing to catch sight of a tree or a bird.” One prisoner related his experience to that of a bird stating, “If you put a parakeet in a cage for years and you take it out, it will die, so I stay in my cage.” (Weir, 2012) These experiences cause mental illnesses due to the fact that these individuals are not able to cope with a normal social life …show more content…
Haney’s interviews were conducted with 56 inmates who have been in solitary confinement for around 10-28 years. These inmates were sent to solitary confinement for years due to violent crimes and the potential danger of gang violence increasing through prisons in America. These problems, they believe will be combatted by the use of locking these criminals away in solitary confinement. “consigning inmates to solitary for years, or even decades, as California has done, is viewed by an increasing number of top corrections officials around the country as unnecessary and ineffective, and some human rights groups have called it torture.” (Weir, 2012) Many individuals believe that solitary confinement is torture to a person’s mental and physical health. These physical and mental health not only affects these inmates, it affects the family and friends of these inmates. They are not able to contact them for years or even physical touch them in any way whenever they visit them. A simple hug is not allowed when family and friends visit those in solitary