Our prison systems in the United States seem to be under constant scrutiny and debate in some form or fashion. One specific topic that has been under quite a bit of heat is the discussion of solitary confinement. While many other countries have pulled the plug on this practice, American prison systems seem to be exploding in the opposite direction, increasing the number of inmates we maintain in solitary confinement at an alarming rate. This certainly leads to a rabbit hole of questions, but as we peer deeper into this form of imprisonment and break apart its layers, we can come to more educated opinions on whether or not solitary confinement is necessary, if change is needed, or if we should consider abolishing the practice as a whole.
Solitary confinement is a form of imprisonment where prisoners are forced into nearly 100% isolation. Typically, prisoners are held in isolation, away from the remaining prison population for anywhere from 23-24 hours per day. On average, the cells solitary inmates are held in are approximately 80 square feet.
In 1829, the United States began its first attempt at …show more content…
As a result, Alcatraz was opened in San Francisco Bay. While Alcatraz had its sections of normal prison population, it also contained a hall set specifically for solitary confinement, known as “D Block”. Taking it even a step further from that, Alcatraz also had an extension of solitary confinement, a cell commonly referred to as “The Hole”. This cell rightfully got its name due to the single hole in the floor intended for inmates to pass their extremities. Aside from that, the room was nothing more than slabs of concrete with a slot in the door for food trays to be delivered. Not only is there no light or windows, but inmates are stripped naked while contained in “The
Solitary confinement is a form of imprisonment where prisoners are forced into nearly 100% isolation. Typically, prisoners are held in isolation, away from the remaining prison population for anywhere from 23-24 hours per day. On average, the cells solitary inmates are held in are approximately 80 square feet.
In 1829, the United States began its first attempt at …show more content…
As a result, Alcatraz was opened in San Francisco Bay. While Alcatraz had its sections of normal prison population, it also contained a hall set specifically for solitary confinement, known as “D Block”. Taking it even a step further from that, Alcatraz also had an extension of solitary confinement, a cell commonly referred to as “The Hole”. This cell rightfully got its name due to the single hole in the floor intended for inmates to pass their extremities. Aside from that, the room was nothing more than slabs of concrete with a slot in the door for food trays to be delivered. Not only is there no light or windows, but inmates are stripped naked while contained in “The