Arguments Against Solitary Confinement

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Solitary confinement is a very prevalent punishment for crime. But, some do not realize how morbid solitary confinement really is. Solitary confinement is strictly isolated confinement in a small area away from other individuals. A rather large percentage of people who are sentenced to prison or jail have reported spending various amounts of time in solitary confinement. In 2011-2012, 20 percent of inmates in state and federal prisoners had spent time in solitary confinement (Bureau of Justice Statistics). When placed in solitary confinement, inmates are housed in a cell that is 8 foot by twelve-foot for twenty-three hours a day. They are only released to take a shower and exercise in a fenced in space (Will). Though people may say that solitary confinement is a necessary form of punishment, some may not know the …show more content…
The supreme court has stated that “A considerable number of prisoner’s fell after even a short confinement, into a fatuous condition, from which it was next to impossible to arouse them, and others became violently insane; others, still committed suicide. Americans should be aroused against this by decency and prudence” (Will). Inmates should face the consequences of their actions, but solitary confinement should not be an acceptable form of punishment because it can prompt self-harm, it can cause psychosis, and it is not effective. In the past, people have deemed solitary confinement an effective form of punishment. However, since then many research studies have been conducted and published, stating the opposite. “Several studies have shown that inmates housed in solitary confinement suffer from insomnia, anxiety, panic, withdrawal, hypersensitivity, ruminations, cognitive, dysfunction, hallucinations, loss of control, aggression, rage, paranoia, hopelessness, lethargy, depression, emotional breakdowns,

Arguments Against Solitary Confinement

Solitary confinement should not be used as a punishment for prisoners because it does not help prepare them to return to society, but instead just hurts them even more. Putting a person in solitary confinement can diminish their mental state and make it harder for them to be able to improve as a human being. Cesar Francisco Villa is a man who has been in solitary confinement for eleven years. Sitting in solitary confinement did not help him, as he explains, “By the third week, I found myself squatting…

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Arguments Against Solitary Confinement

Solitary Confinement Punishment Solitary confinement should not be used on inmates unless they have serious mental issues. The effects of solitary confinement are too dangerous to be used on every inmate, “People have to be able to look at this and say this just isn’t right”. Unless you can justify this craziness, you just have to stop it”(Interview with Nick Trenticosta). Solitary confinement makes people go crazy. Hint that roughly 13 of solitary confinement inmates are psychotic. Solitary confinement…

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Hellhole By Atul Gawande Summary

United States prisons frequently put prisoners in long term solitary confinement for offenses ranging from violence to cursing at a guard, and research shows that such punishment results in extreme psychological abuse. Atul Gawande explores the history, policies, and consequences of solitary confinement as well as the alternatives to solitary, in Hellhole, a 2009 article in the New Yorker. Gawande uses strong emotional appeals to evoke compassion from the reader, and backs up those pathos with evidence…

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Pros And Cons Of Solitary Confinement

worse than solitary confinement. Solitary confinement is being confined to a small room for 23 hours a day and capital punishment is a fancy way of dieing with the government approval. Which of these would be worse? Both have been around for centuries and both of these punishments have their cons and pros. These two punishment have been given to many criminals and have been showed true consequence to the crime world changing the way we call justice. First as stated before Solitary confinement had been…

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Sex Offender and Different Sexual Predators Essay

throughout the United States, some are very frightened by the discussion of this topic, but why? In the United States, an estimated 19.3% of women and 1.7% of men have been raped during their lifetimes. (Breiding, Matthew) There are many different arguments that are placed on this specific topic, some people believe that certain individuals dress inappropriate with revealing clothing which give predators the impression that the victim desires more than a friendly conversation. Studies show that once…

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Essay on Sociology and Common Sense

Key Points Humans are, at their very core, social animals- more akin to pack or herd animals than to individualistic cats. (Pgs 4-5) Humans were not made to be solitary creatures; although there are introverts, extraverts, and we all enjoy some alone time we also crave both physical and mental stimulation from others. In the book we are given an example about a boy who decided to sail alone around the world and stated that he learned a lot about people by doing so. He was able to take the time…

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Arguments Against Torture

We are in the 21st century and yet we hear stories quite often of terrorist suspects who are still being tortured in prisons. The main argument against torture is that it mitigates a suspected terrorist's rights as a human being. Can this torturous behavior ever be justified? In my opinion, terrorists should not be tortured because the torture may cause them to lie in their confession in order for the torturing stops. According to a publication on The Huffington Post, respondents in a new Reuters/Ipsos…

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John Greenwald's Argument Analysis

celebrated President Obama’s decision. In a recent NPR interview with Rachel Martin, Greenwald delivered his case as to why Manning deserved clemency and how other whistleblowers, such as Edward Snowden, deserve to be pardoned by the state. Through his arguments surrounding the unfair treatment of Manning, the…

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History of Prisons Essay

lower-class were being indicted for lower-class matters (such as tax evasion or theft) and were arraigned before their equals who did not view these actions as crimes. The Church, one of the many institutions allowed to exercise justice, was also against corporal punishment as it incited a more callous society and instead wished to focus on rehabilitation (Oxford, 1998). In 1789 the chancellery summed up the general views of torture and executions, “Let penalties be regulated and proportioned to the…

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How Women Achieved Suffrage

This is proven by how Alice Paul, through utilizing publicity, had powerful media like news reporters side with her during her clash against the unjust rules of society, as well as providing numbers, which produced a threat to almost any and all opposing sides, truly creating a force to be reckoned with. Lastly, the final of the three most important components that led the Women's Rights…

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