1) The document discusses the overuse of solitary confinement in US prisons. It notes that around 80,000 of the over 2 million incarcerated individuals are held in solitary confinement, often for minor infractions. 2) Extended periods of solitary confinement have been found to cause lasting psychological harm to prisoners. It can lead to increased violence and mental deterioration as isolation is a form of psychological torture. 3) While originally intended to promote rehabilitation, solitary confinement undermines this goal and instead leaves prisoners in an unsocialized and often mentally disturbed state upon their release.

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Corrections: Sentencing, Imprisonment, and Alternatives
*Concentration in Solitary Confinement*
Garrett Lemoine
Curry College
12/08/2015

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The United States, which used to be revered by everyone and was a country that had set
the bar for the rest of the world, is no longer at the top. The U.S. is currently 23rd in science,
30th in math, 7th in literacy, 50th in life expectancy, 170th in infant mortality, 3rd in median
household income, and 10th in best countries for business (npr.org, 2013). America does,
however, lead dramatically in one thing, and that is number of incarcerated citizens per capita.
All in all the United States hosts only about 5% of the world’s population, but houses 25% of the
world’s prisoners. With a statistic like that, America either has the most horrible and most
dangerous people on the planet, or, America is doing something horribly wrong. There are over
two million people in prison today and the reason for most of that is the harsh sentencing laws
that have been created around the war on drugs, and, determinate sentencing (mandatory
sentencing) based on severity of crime for people that are found guilty; not to mention the
systemic marginalization that plagues so many Americans. The United States has an average
recidivism rate of about 70% (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2014 and Costanzo & Krauss, 2015).
The reason for that is not only because prisons fail to rehabilitate offenders, but also because the
prisons release unsocialized, often mentally disturbed inmates into the general public. In almost
all cases, those both unsocialized and mentally disturbed are of no fault but the prisons
themselves.
Among the two million plus people that are incarcerated, about 80,000 of them are in
solitary confinement, or what our prison system calls “administrative segregation”. The use of
solitary confinement for extended periods of time is not necessary in prisons and only opposes
the purposes of the system while in many cases does nothing but provide an experience of torture
and cause deterioration of one’s psyche. Solitary confinement is the practice of isolating an
incarcerated individual 22-24 hours a day, segregated from all other inmates as well as
correctional staff (Dr. Lischinsky - Corrections, 2014). A cell in solitary is usually no bigger
than 6 x 8 square feet; a little longer than a king sized bed. Incarcerated individuals, who are
confined to their cells for 22-23 hours a day out of the 24, are brought to a fenced area outside
with about enough room to pace back and forth for about 30 feet. Solitary confinement is used
vastly within our prison system and ‘inmates’ can become subject to it for acts from anything
such as being in the shower for too long to assaulting the staff. Although solitary is clearly the
easiest answer for our prison system when dealing with problem causing individuals, it also has

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been found to administer severe negative effects. Research shows solitary confinement does in
fact not effectively rehabilitate offenders, instead, creates negative effects on people's psyches,
and, is actually used as torture by those who conduct enhanced interrogations.
Because the United States has so many millions of people incarcerated, that means
statistically almost everyone in America within their lifetime will either be sentenced to prison
themselves or know someone who is/has (Dr. Lischinsky - Corrections, Curry College, 2014).
Until that occurs however, there is a grave disconnect between people in society and what
happens behind the walls, creating an ‘us and them’ mentality.
The penal system in the U.S. was derived from what is known as the Pennsylvania
Method. Solitary confinement, that is practiced today, has also come from the same
Pennsylvania System, which was originally created by a Quaker named William Penn. Penn’s
“penitentiary” was an institution intended to isolate prisoners from society, and from one
another, so they could reflect on their past mistakes, repent, and undergo reformation. Separate
confinement imposed that prisoners should have no visual or verbal contact with other inmates,
and prisoners would be hooded when moved within the penitentiary (Dr. Lischinsky -
Corrections, Curry College, 2014).
This kind of system first appeared in Philadelphia in 1790. The United States led the
world in the early 19th century with this new method of “rehabilitation” by cutting off access to
other human stimulation and contact (Center for Constitutional Rights, 2014). Several years
later, however, this practice of isolation was quickly abandoned when prisoners were clearly
becoming mentally disturbed. The Supreme Court then, stated in 1890 that the use of solitary
confinement created reduced mental and physical capabilities, further stating, “A considerable
number of the prisoners fell, after even a short confinement, into a semi-fatuous condition, from
which it was next to impossible to arouse them, and others became violently insane; others still,
committed suicide; although those who stood the ordeal better were not generally reformed, and
in most cases did not recover sufficient mental activity to be of any subsequent service to the
community” (Costanzo and Krauss, 2015). Yet, over a century later, the use of solitary
unfortunately made a comeback; even with a U.S. district judge stating in 1999 that, “As the pain
and suffering caused by cat-o-nine-tails lashing an inmate’s back are cruel and unusual
punishment by today’s standards of humanity and decency, the pain and suffering caused by
extreme levels of psychological deprivation are equally, if not more, cruel and unusual. The

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wounds and resulting scars, while less tangible, are no less painful and permanent when they are
inflicted on the human psyche” (Costanzo and Krauss, 2015).
There are only two reasons that can be found as to why solitary confinement re-emerged
within America’s prison system. The first, about 30 years ago the United States prison system
started to change its views. Instead of focusing on rehabilitation, the true purpose of prisons,
America started to lean towards a prison-for-punishment state of mind. That meant the
incentives once given to prisoners slowly started to drift away. There were no longer as many
programs to offer inmates, and so there were no longer as many ways to positively shape the
inmates’ behavior while giving them things to do. With less activities for inmates to take up
their time with, they started to live their life in prison the only way they knew how, the same way
they lived it outside of prison. This created a rise in violence among other things and prisons
started to control inmates by punishing them, and the only way they knew how to punish
someone who was already being punished was to put them in solitary confinement (Dr. Craig
Haney, social psychologist, 2014).
The second reason was the steadily increasing number of mentally ill being sentenced to
prison. Their behavior was harder to understand and control. Prisons didn’t have the right
resources to deal with the mentally ill and solitary became the only way they knew how to
control them. As a whole, these two things created a precedent that would be very hard to
reverse (Dr. Craig Haney, 2014).
Currently in the U.S. at least 44 states and the federal system have supermax prisons,
which usually are made up solely of solitary confinement. Administrators of these prisons and
the Federal Bureau of Prisons will claim, however, that they do not have solitary confinement in
their prisons. Reports state that is because the psychological and physiological damages that
isolation creates are no secret, and, in an effort to steer away from the stigma associated with the
term ‘solitary confinement’, the Department of Corrections describes it as administrative
segregation, SHU (special housing unit) or SMU (special management unit). The purpose of
these “administrative segregation” units is described to be used for people who are deemed a
danger to either property, themselves or others, and for people who are suspected of being
engaged in illegal activity outside of the prison while being incarcerated; segregation may also
be used as a temporary punitive measure (MA D.O.C., 2007), or to put it simply, punishment.

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Abuse of solitary is rampant within the prison system and has become a practice that prison staff
and officials use more as punishment and holding than protection.
According to both law and prison policy, inmates can technically be put into solitary for
any offense violating prison rules (Federal Bureau of Prisons, n.d.) and, it’s not hard to break a
rule in prison. There are rules and regulations for everything; including how many books an
inmate is allowed to have in his/her cell. With that being said, if a correctional officer does not
like an inmate for whatever reason, or, is simply having a bad day, he might look for any small
reason to punish someone else. This is no secret to the inmates, and it is almost impossible to
find someone in prison who has not served any time at all in solitary.
James, a 67 year old serving life in Norfolk, MA at MCI-Norfolk, has been subject to
multiple stints in “administrative segregation” with one stay being a little over five years. “You
can be put into the box for whatever bullshit reason they [the prison] want…” James explained
during a Project Youth discussion put together by Dr. Lischinsky of Curry College, “...I was
once put into solitary for not making my bed in time during morning count” (Personal Interview,
2014). It took James multiple years and well over several psychiatrist visits in order to acclimate
himself to be fit for the general population of prison again, what he described as simply “a
psychological mess.” In all instances of solitary confinement being used, very few are voluntary.
The differences between voluntary and involuntary isolation can be massive, and in every case
solitary is used for punishment, the inmate is put there involuntarily.
The Commission on Safety and Abuse in America’s Prisons stated that among dozens of
studies done on solitary confinement since the 1970’s, there has not been one study where
involuntary stays in solitary (lasting longer than 10 days) did not document negative psychiatric
results. Juan E. Méndez, who is the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Torture, stated, “Solitary
confinement is a harsh measure which is contrary to rehabilitation, the aim of the penitentiary
system.” Méndez later added that prolonged and indefinite stints in solitary that lasts longer than
15 days should, “be subject to an absolute prohibition”, providing scientific studies showing that
solitary confinement creates lasting mental damages after just a few days within it (UN.org,
2011).
We as human beings are social creatures. For many people, the absence of regular and
normal interpersonal contact creates an unwelcoming feeling of unreality (American
Psychological Association, n.d.). Doctor Craig Haney, a social psychologist and professor at the

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University of California, was documented stating, “We depend on each other for not just
stimulation but for a sense of self. And when you take that away from people, many people are
destabilized by it. They begin to question their existence” (APA, n.d.). Science suggests that
isolation from this interpersonal contact makes people more impulsive and violent by actually
changing the chemical makeup and functions of the brain.
In a study done by Dr. John Cacioppo (social neurologist and researcher in effects of
solitary confinement) a group of people were divided into two. One group was told to write
about a time in their life when they felt really connected to another person(s), while the second
group was told to write about a time where they felt alone and isolated. After some time writing
their thoughts, each person in each group was brought one bowl of cookies and one bowl of
radishes to eat while they reflected on their given topic. The group that was given the task of
writing about their isolation memories was recorded indulging themselves in the cookies. Those
writing about connections they have felt were seen eating a much smaller amount of cookies and
a larger amount of the healthier choice, radishes. This showed that even the thought of isolation
affected people in controlling their impulses and decision making (National Geographic/ Dr.
John Cacioppo, 2010).
The brain processes loneliness in the same area as physical pain (APA, n.d.). Being cut
off from others can hurt so much that people will do almost anything in order to reconnect; and,
if one is totally isolated, any connection is better than none. This means incarcerated individuals
in solitary are constantly doing negative things and acting out, because they know that’s the
fastest and most guaranteed way to feel connection. For example: an inmate was placed into
solitary for misbehaving in the prison yard. After week three, he has been trying to behave
himself, however, can biologically no longer take being alone without stimulation any longer.
The next time he is brought food during meal time, he impulsively throws the food back at the
prison staff in order to be restrained so he can feel physical contact from another human being.
With no expertise or training in the field of psychology for prison officials/guards, there is no
discussions as to why that prisoner was acting out the way he did, and only discussions as to an
‘obvious’ need for that individual to stay in solitary because he will still not behave. Because of
this, inmates end up adding months, and even years, to their solitary confinement sentence for
not following simple rules, creating a vicious cycle.

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When interviewed by National Geographic, Susan Jones, the warden at CSP (Colorado
State Penitentiary) which is solely solitary confinement, said, “We aren’t cutting them off from
physical contact because it’s fun or because we like to be cruel. We’re cutting them off from
physical contact from people until we’re assured that the contact is going to be safe and isn’t
going to hurt anyone” (National Geographic, 2010). The only way prisons become, in Susan
Jones’ words “assured that the contact with an inmate is safe”, is when an inmate no longer puts
up any type of fight and succumbs to whatever he/she is told. Although to psychologically
untrained prisons that might look like someone who is now understanding and behaving, the
reality is that it occurs not because they have been rehabilitated, but because they have become
mentally broken.
Larry Claice, a man who served five years at CSP, described his direct transition from
solitary confinement to society as a ‘terrible experience’. He knew he was not fit for the world
or ready to be reintegrated into society because of his stint in solitary, but his time was served
and he was released into the general public whether he was ready or not. Claice said the reason
his psyche was so damaged was because of what isolation had done to him. He tried to give an
example that’s easy to comprehend by stating, “Think about if you were stranded like in Cast
Away. That dude was talking to a volleyball. That’s kind of how you start to become in here if
you’re here [in solitary confinement] too long..” Claice further explained his reintegration by
stating, “When I went out to the streets, I was having seizures just being around normal people
‘cuz I’d get around too many people and it’d just freak me out... Couldn’t talk to people,
couldn’t handle people staring at me” (National Geographic, 2010). For something that was
made with the intent of rehabilitating someone, solitary confinement has done quite the opposite
for Larry Claice and many others like him, providing them with nothing except a tortuous
experience.
On December 9, 2014 the CIA released what is being called the “CIA Torture
Report”. Within the unclassified parts of the report, which can be read in its entirety on Vox’s
website, details use of solitary confinement as an enhanced interrogation technique. In the case
of Abu Zubaydah, who was held and interrogated by the CIA, long stints of solitary confinement
were constantly used against him as one of the chosen methods. The CIA team who was
responsible for interrogating Zubaydah said considering all of the psychological pressure
techniques they were planning to use, “They should make sure that Abu Zubaydah will remain in

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isolation and incommunicado for the remainder of his life” (Eyder Peralta, par. 13, npr.org,
2014). Furthermore, the CIA’s report claimed that the use of solitary confinement was used
before all other interrogation methods, as the report reads, “After Abu Zubaydah had been in
complete isolation for 47 days, the most aggressive interrogation phase began…” (Committee
Study of the Central Intelligence Agency’s Detention and Interrogation Program, pg. 40, 2014).
If the CIA had used solitary confinement for less than 50 days to psychologically wear
down Zubaydah as a ‘warm-up’ for other enhanced interrogation techniques, it is clear that
people who have been, and, will be in solitary within the U.S. Prison System for months and
even years are not going to be rehabilitated. An article that was recently released about solitary
confinement, stated, “Label it a safety measure, a disciplinary tool, a correctional strategy -- at its
foundation, solitary confinement is torture. Subjecting a person to inhumane conditions for
extensive periods of time does not ensure the welfare of other inmates and staff, but ostensibly
poses long-term mental health harm and dehumanizes the victim” (Academic OneFile. U.S.
Prison Practice of Solitary Confinement is Torture, par. 5, 2013).
For a method that has been argued as affective and used during imprisonment for many
years, isolation has done nothing but harness severe negative effects to one’s psyche. It is a
wonder as to why the use of solitary confinement is still used in prisons for extended periods of
time, even as science and research has shown that the use of it actually defies the purpose of
America’s prisons, which is to rehabilitate the offender.
Because long-term isolation has been found to in fact not support the true purpose of
incarceration, do nothing but create long lasting negative psychological effects, and be
recognized by government agencies as an enhanced interrogation technique, the use of solitary
confinement for over 10 days should be banned from the U.S. prison system as a use of
imprisonment and be replaced by a more effective alternative.
For offenders to actually be successfully rehabilitated, and, stop society from too heavily
relying on prisons as an appropriate sanction, there needs to be a focus on less expensive/severe,
but more effective sanctions. These include mostly probation, treatment, rehabilitation and
parole, however, can also include things such as CBT (cognitive-behavioral therapy) within the
prisons themselves as well as other evidence-based programs. These type of in-prison programs
should attempt to correct both job and education deficits, change attitudes/thinking patterns that
‘promote’ criminality, improve both self-esteem and self-awareness, improve interpersonal skills

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(instead of taking them away with isolation), reduce drug abuse, and reduce contact with
criminals that got them in trouble in the first place (Costanzo and Krauss, 2015). The
government should also re-fund mental institutions to efficiently treat those mentally-ill instead
of using prisons as a warehouse for them, and, should promote support of offenders after their
integration into society. In order for an effective alternative of solitary confinement and
ultimately prison, to be successful, society needs to no longer have the prison-for-punishment
state of mind and focus more on the benefits of true rehabilitation.
Work Cited
"American Psychological Association (APA)." Http://www.apa.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Dec.
2015.
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Cacioppo, John, Susan Jones, and Larry Claice. "Inside Solitary." Interview. Inside Solitary.
National Geographic. June 2010. Television.
Chappell, Bill. "U.S. Students Slide In Global Ranking On Math, Reading, Science." NPR. NPR,
2013. Web. 22 Nov. 2015.

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Costanzo, M., & Krauss, D. (2015). Forensic and legal psychology: Psychological science
applied to law (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Worth.
"Federal Bureau of Prisons." BOP: Web Site. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Nov. 2015.
Inside Solitary Confinement [electronic resource (video)] : National Geographic Explorer/
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New York, N.Y. : Films Media Group, [2013], c2010.
Lischinsky, Karen. "Corrections." Corrections Class. Curry College, Milton. 1 Oct. 2014.
Lecture.
"Massachusetts Department of Corrections: Special Management Policies." 103 CMR 423.00:
SPECIAL MANAGEMENT Section 423.01-424.13 (2007): 1-2. Web. 1 Dec. 2015.
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7, 2015, from the Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.
Peralta, Eyder. "'Torture Report': A Closer Look At When And What President Bush Knew."
NPR. NPR, 2014. Web. 2 Dec. 2015.
Prokop, Andrew. "READ: CIA Torture Report." Vox. Vox Media, 09 Dec. 2014. Web. 3 Dec.
2015.
"Solitary Confinement Is a 'Tried-and-True' Torture Device." Interview by FRONTLINE. PBS,
22 Apr. 2014. Web. 29 Nov. 2015. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/criminal-
justice/locked-up-in-america/craig-haney-solitary-confinement-is-a-tried-and-true-torture-
device/>.
"Solitary Confinement Should Be Banned in Most Cases, UN Expert Says." UN News Center.
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for Constitutional Rights, July 2014. Web. 5 Dec. 2015.

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"U.S. prison practice of solitary confinement is torture." UWIRE Text 7 Oct. 2013: 1. Academic
OneFile. Web. 15 Nov. 2015.
Information about personal interview: Trip was taken to MCI-Norfolk during Corrections Class
<Curry College> on October 17, 2014.
Other References
Bulman, Philip. "The psychological effects of solitary confinement." Corrections Today
74.3 (2012): 58+. Academic OneFile. Web. 2 Dec. 2015.
"HDPC STUDIES EFFECTS OF SOLITARY CONFINEMENT." States News Service
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Katel, Peter. "Solitary confinement." CQ Researcher 14 Sept. 2012: 767+. Academic
OneFile. Web. 2 Dec. 2015.
Kysel, Ian. Growing up Locked Down: Youth in Solitary Confinement in Jails and
Prisons across the United States. New York, NY: American Civil Liberties Union, 2012.
Print.
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Prison. Berkeley, CA: U of California, 2004. Print.
"Solitary Confinement Is Torture -- And Morally Wrong." International Business Times -
US ed. 13 June 2012. Academic OneFile. Web. 24 Nov. 2015.

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