Solitary Confinement is a type of imprisonment that's widely used in the United States. In fact, the United States holds more prisoners in solitary confinement than any other democratic nation in the world (Johnson and Chappell). The practice puts certain prisoners into cells where they are completely isolated from other people (Dictionary.com). It grew popular in the United States around the 1990s, but it began in the 1800s (Sullivan). It started in the US in 1829 in Philadelphia (Sullivan). During that time, prisoners were isolated in stone cells with only a bible; so they can pray and reflect on their sins (Sullivan). Over the years following that, solitary confinement spread throughout the country. The US readily accepted this form of
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With so many mental illnesses and a high suicide rate, the solitary confinement system shows no sympathy for these prisoners. The system basically sucks the hope out of people’s lives (Johnson and Chappell). According to Damon Thibodeaux, a solitary confinement prisoner of 15 years, “Years on end in solitary, particularly on death row, will drain that hope from anyone. Because in solitary there's nothing to live for,” (Johnson and Chappell). Damon also stated that, "After realizing what my existence would be like for years on end, until I was either executed or exonerated, I was on the verge of committing what was basically suicide by state." (Johnson and Chappell). This explains why there are such high suicide rates for prisoners in solitary confinement. Every person needs a purpose for their lives, and without that purpose, there is no reason to live. For people in solitary confinement, there is no purpose or meaning to their lives besides just sitting and staring at the plain walls that constantly surround them. There is no hope for their lives anymore, and this loss of hope causes them to kill themselves. When a system causes so many health issues and people to die, then it is definitely inhumane. It is very inconsiderate to have so many people held under these restrictions, go through these mental illnesses with noone to help them, lose hope, and eventually kill
With so many mental illnesses and a high suicide rate, the solitary confinement system shows no sympathy for these prisoners. The system basically sucks the hope out of people’s lives (Johnson and Chappell). According to Damon Thibodeaux, a solitary confinement prisoner of 15 years, “Years on end in solitary, particularly on death row, will drain that hope from anyone. Because in solitary there's nothing to live for,” (Johnson and Chappell). Damon also stated that, "After realizing what my existence would be like for years on end, until I was either executed or exonerated, I was on the verge of committing what was basically suicide by state." (Johnson and Chappell). This explains why there are such high suicide rates for prisoners in solitary confinement. Every person needs a purpose for their lives, and without that purpose, there is no reason to live. For people in solitary confinement, there is no purpose or meaning to their lives besides just sitting and staring at the plain walls that constantly surround them. There is no hope for their lives anymore, and this loss of hope causes them to kill themselves. When a system causes so many health issues and people to die, then it is definitely inhumane. It is very inconsiderate to have so many people held under these restrictions, go through these mental illnesses with noone to help them, lose hope, and eventually kill