Solitary confinement, also known as isolation or segregation, is a form of imprisonment in which prisoners are held in single cells for 22 to 24 hours a day, with little to no human contact. Solitary confinement is often used as a punishment for disciplinary infractions or as a way to protect prisoners who are at risk of being harmed by other inmates.
There is a growing body of research that shows that solitary confinement can have a devastating impact on prisoners’ mental and physical health. Prisoners in solitary confinement are more likely to experience depression, anxiety, and psychosis. They are also more likely to engage in self-harm and to have difficulty reintegrating into society after their release.
