The Role Of Solitary Confinement In Prison

Once called the silent cell by Dicken’s solitary confinement is now referred to by many different terms; isolation, segregation, special management, restricted housing, security housing units, or the hole to name a few. It has also been used for many different purposes in the prison system. It has been used for reformation, behavior modification, punishment, protection, prison management and control (Shalov, 2009). But no matter what you call it or what role you use it for it still remains to be the practice of isolating prisoners in closed cells for 22-24 hours a day. The inmates are usually confined to a cell that is about the size of a small parking spot (80 square feet) and it is furnished with a bed, sink and toilet, but rarely anything else. Food is delivered through a slot in the door and the lights stay on 24 hours a day in many unit. The inmates are only allowed one hour of exercise a day. Solitary confinement is not a new term or a new practice in prisons. All prisons and many jails use some form of solitary confinement (Shames, Wilcox & Subramanian, 2015). It first started in the Enlightenment era when reform and rehabilitation became the main focus. In 1829 Eastern State Penitentiary was built. Eastern State Penitentiary was not just to punish, but to reform the inmate by isolating them in silence and solitude. Reformers believed by doing this the …show more content…
The issue of solitary confinement is a complex and controversial one. Many are questioning whether solitary confinement is an effective or humane use of public resources. In my paper I will look at how solitary confinement affects inmates and whether solitary confinement really does makes prisons safer or does it make inmates more dangerous. I will also look at what effect solitary confinement on recidivism, if any and what alternatives and reforms there are to solitary