Solitary Confinement Angela Schedler Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service New York, New York Forensic Social Work T. Maschi

Presentation Overview  Critical Analysis of Solitary Confinement Critical Assessment Prevention and Intervention Strategies

Critical Assessment

Solitary Confinment  Does solitary confinement do more harm than good? What is solitary confinement’s ultimate purpose and is it actually being used correctly within the prison system?

History of Solitary Confinement  First began in 1829  1934 Alcatraz was opened  1983 Supermax Prisons were opened  1989 Pelican Bay was built to solely house inmates in isolation

Case Vignette  Sarah Shourd  410 days in solitary confinement  Experienced hallucinations, insomnia, violent panic attacks  Has continued to have effects even after being released.  Cannot be around people for very long

United Nations Document  Article 5 under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)  The Eighth Amendment protects individuals in the United States from “cruel and unusual punishment

Federal and State Policy  The main tools used to challenge solitary confinement are the eighth and the fourteenth amendment of the constitution  As of 2011, no court has found that solitary confinement violates the eighth amendment.

Prevention and Intervention Strategies

Promising Practice  Rehabilitation  Britain has provided more resources and opportunities for inmates that were in solitary confinement.

Levels of Oppression  Britain gave the oppressed population (inmates in solitary confinement) more power.  This has helped reduce violence and provide change within the prisons of Britain and Europe.

Recommendations  More research needs to be done regarding solitary confinement.  More research needs to be conducted in regards to effects of solitary confinement once released.  Although there continues to be a lot of research regarding the negative effects, more advocacy needs to be done for change.

Final Reflection

What Did I Learn?  Solitary Confinement continues to remain a large issue within the prison system.  Not enough has been done to promote change.  The effects of Solitary Confinement are life long.

Resources

Helpful Resources  Solitary Watch  Human Rights Watch  American Friends Service Committee

References  American Friends Service Committee. Solitary Confinement Facts. Retrieved May 6, 2014,  Gawande, A. (2009, March 30). Hellhole. The New Yorker.  Shourd, S. (2013, July 17). Solitary Confinement.. Retrieved May 2, 2014, from days-today-my-thoughts  Smith, P. S. (2006). The effects of solitary confinement on prison inmates: A brief history and review of the literature. Crime and Justice, 34(1), doi: /  Solitary Watch (2012). Solitary Watch News from a Nation in Lockdown. Retrieved from  Sullivan, L. (2006, July 26). Timeline: Solitary Confinement in the U.S Prison. Retrieved May 2, 2014, from  US: Look Critically at Widespread Use of Solitary Confinement. (2012, June 18). Retrieved May 2, 2014, from confinement  Vasiliades, E. Solitary Confinement and International Human Rights: Why the U.S Prison System Fails Global Standards. Law Journal Library, 21, Retrieved May 2, 2014, from als#90 als#90  Weir, K. Alone in 'the hole'. American Psychological Association, 43, 54. Retrieved May 2, 2014, from