Journal of Law and Criminal Justice

Perceptions of Solitary Confinement
Erica Katz, MSW, PhD; James R. Jones, PhD

Abstract
During the past forty years, the United States criminal justice system has been marked by a “tough on crime” response to criminal activity. This strictly punitive approach has led to an increasing number of individuals being held in solitary confinement under the label of “the worst of the worst”. It has also led to the creation of super maximum security units, which house only individuals in solitary confinement. The isolation imposed by solitary confinement has been found to cause psychological harm, and for some it has caused severe and/or permanent damage. The effects of this harm are such that some individuals are unable to return to general prison population, to their own communities, or to be around others in any way. This paper critically reviews the literature on the relationship between solitary confinement and psychological harm. The paper utilizes questionnaires to assess the impact of solitary confinement from the perception of three individuals who served time in isolation while incarcerated.These stories serve to illuminate some of the issues at work here.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/jlcj.v3n2a2