Executive Summary
As you read this, tens of thousands of inmates are being held in solitary confinement in our federal and state prisons. Solitary confinement, also known as restrictive housing, administrative segregation, protective custody, or the hole, is often used as a form of punishment for inmates. Not only is this practice inhumane, but it is also costly to taxpayers as it can cost up to three times more to hold someone in solitary. The United States prison system should stop the overuse of solitary confinement and rely on more humane forms of punishment to control prison populations.
Introduction
Although it varies from prison to prison, solitary confinement usually consists of removal from general population and 22 to 23 hours of the day are spent in a small cell. Some remain in solitary for short periods of time but there are others who spend years in isolation. Prison guards and administrators determine the length of stay. They argue that solitary confinement is an essential aspect of keeping order in their prisons. Although the use of solitary confinement might solve some short-term problems, it can have long lasting psychological effects on the inmates. Solitary confinement is linked with depression and the potential for violent behavior in the future. The chances of an inmate committing suicide are higher for those who have spent time in solitary, especially if they are a juvenile or have a mental illness. When their sentences are over, these inmates often have a hard time transitioning back into their communities at home. They served their time but their punishment might last long after they are out of prison.
Devastating Consequences
In January of 2016, President Barack Obama published an op-ed in the Washington Post about the overuse of solitary confinement. In it, he told the heartbreaking story of Kalief Browder. When he was 16, he was accused of stealing a backpack. While Browder was awaiting trial at Rikers Island in New York, he was held in solitary confinement for almost two years. After he was eventually released, he struggled to return to a normal life. At the age of 22, Browder committed suicide. The overuse of solitary affects all of us because these released and traumatized people are part of our communities. In the article, President Obama also laid out new regulations based on the recommendations of the Justice Department. These reforms include banning the use of solitary confinement for juveniles and low level offenders, expanding treatment for inmates with mental illness, and increasing the amount of time prisoners in solitary can spend out of their cells.
What Next?
President Obama has taken positive steps in the federal system to end the overuse of solitary confinement but there is still so much more to be done. The reforms that President Obama laid out are just recommendations for state prisons. States that have already reduced the use of solitary have had positive results so it is up to us to encourage our state Senators and Representatives to keep making changes to our criminal justice system.