Effects Of Solitary Confinement

1482 Words3 Pages

Today’s correctional institutions, policy makers, and supreme courts still continue to ignore the studies displaying the psychological effects of prisons. For example, in recent case challenges against the eighth amendment over solitary confinement have rarely succeeded. This is due to the regulation that conditions must deprive prisoners of at least one identifiable human physical need to be declared unconstitutional. Studies have shown that depriving proper mental stimulus results in extreme mental harm, but because it’s not physical damage courts rarely recognize the extreme mental harm in conditions retaining to confinement. Many court cases related to the psychological damages were inspired by the famous Stanford Prison Experiment that …show more content…

The quality of confinement including structure design, quality of sound, color and objects within the room are important because they are the factors in what results in the inmates’ experience. In Garisson’s study, he believes that the inmate’s expectations and views on the purpose on solitary confinement was significant factor to the psychological outcome. Garisson believed that if solitary confinement was seen as a torturous punishment, it will increase the potential of psychological harm to inmates. Following Garissons study many other researchers have noted that the inmate’s views on the reasons of solitary confinement and how they are treated during confinement will determine if the will suffer any psychological effects all together. The new research confirms Garisson’s claims by stating that proper treatment during confinement and inmate’s personal views can influence the extent of psychological damages they …show more content…

Supporters of solitary confinement believe that Inmates that propose extreme dangers to prison staff and other inmates must be removed and placed in solitary condiment for their protection and sometimes the inmate themselves. Therefore, many would argue that when left alone in solitary confinement, it allows inmates to engage in self-reflection. Furthermore, many supporters of Solitary believe that disciplinary segregation is needed and has proven to keep stability in correctional institutions. Solitary confinement does solve the issue of physical violence and allows for personal reflection. While this argument is popular, solitary confinement causes extreme psychological consequences on inmates. When placed in solitary confinement inmates begin to lose sight to what real and mentally brake down over time. While held in solitary confinement for long periods of time prisoners experience hallucinations, extreme anxiety, amnesia, and violent impulse behavior. In 1997, a study done by the Human Rights Watch shows that 5% of the overall prison population in America has suffered some kind of psychotic illness due to extreme isolation. While Solitary confinement might try to bring down aggressive behavior, studies show that it actually causes greater

Open Document