Solitary Confinement Argument

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Pages: 7
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Rachel Miller
Dr. Deanna Davis
English 103
10, March 2017
Argument Essay: Is Solitary Confinement a Humane and Necessary Punishment? The issue of Solitary Confinement and its use in the prison system has been hotly debated. Solitary confinement is when an inmate is locked in a small, windowless, concrete cell for 22-24 hours a day. Those in favor of the issue argue that some prisoners are too violent to be housed in cells with other prisoners. These prisoners are locked in solitary confinement for the safety of the other inmates, wardens, and the prisoner himself. They argue that this practice deters violence among inmates. However, it has also been scientifically proven that prolonged isolation can lead to psychological damage; especially …show more content…
If solitary confinement units had more accommodations, then it would defeat the purpose it is trying to accomplish—deterring prisoners from going back to criminal behavior once they are eventually released. They are trying to decrease recidivism rates. The Issues and Controversies database article entitled Solitary Confinement: Should U.S. prisons continue to place inmates in solitary confinement, defines recidivism rates as “the percentages of released prisoners who revert to criminal behavior or violate the conditions of their parole and end up back in jail.” However, a study conducted by Dr. David Lovell, a research associates professor at the University of Washington as well as the Head Chair of the Faculty Senate, showed …show more content…
In fact, it does the opposite. However, this does not mean that solitary confinement cells should be made to resemble other normal prison cells. The main function of a solitary confinement cell is still to punish extremely violent prisoners, and these cells accomplish that, though admittedly not in the best way possible. With such a small space (often roughly that of a king-sized bed), heavily guarded patrol, and very little to occupy the prisoner inside the cell, there is hardly any other option for the inmate than to reflect on his
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