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Evan Sander
Mrs. Grimaldi
HELA103
18 February 2016
Mortuary of the Mind
"Something in our nature cries out to be loved by another. Isolation is devastating to the human
psyche. That is why solitary confinement is considered the cruelest of punishments."
Gary Chapman
Fear is often perceived as an external threat, a defense against those who would wish one
harm, and yet, nothing is more frightening than ourselves. Solitude is to be cursed, cursed to
forever listen for the voice of another, only to hear ones own, and left with nothing to prevent
one from driving themselves insane. Far too many are forced to fight a desperate battle against
solitude, and fail. This is a grim reality more and more inmates are forced to face. Solitary
confinement is a form of psychological torture implemented by prisons and correctional facilities
all across the United States. Solitary confinement drives people insane. That alone is incredibly
hard to justify, and shallow promises of reducing prison violence doesnt even come close.
Solitary confinement is immoral beyond any sense of humanity, scarring its victims instead of
rehabilitating them. Solitary confinement inflicts deep psychological scars, severs any chance of
redemption, and doesnt achieve its purpose of preventing crime.
Prisoners left in extreme isolation suffer from severe psychological deterioration. Forcing
inmates into conditions that cause such debilitating mental conditions is not only inhumane, but
also dangerous, as prisoners held in solitary confinement are often already suffering from mental
illness or have demonstrated violent behavior. Prisoners left in solitary confinement have zero

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access to any kind of rehabilitation, failing to address the root of the violence. Some
psychiatrists, including Harvard University professor Stuart Grassian, have testified in court that
the sensory deprivation in a supermax frequently leads otherwise healthy individuals to develop
extreme manifestations of psychosis, such as hallucinations, uncontrollable rage, paranoia, and
nearly catatonic depressions (Abramsky). Solitary confinement doesnt deter criminals, it
creates them. As one prisoner put it, Being in a room all day just makes people mad
(DeMartini).
Solitary confinement robs prisoners of a second chance at life. Instead of releasing
prisoners back into the community with a new outlook on their life, solitary confinement releases
them with deep psychological scars that make it nearly impossible for them to get their life back
on track. When freed from confinement inmates continue to feel the chains of their
imprisonment. Inmates experience a type of sensory paralysis that seemed to overwhelm them
once they were finally free (Johnson). Segovia, left for years in solitary confinement, found that
even with the overwhelming enthusiasm he harbored for a new start on the outside, the lasting
effects of the harsh experience on the inside appeared to hold him back (Johnson).
However, many would plead a differing case. Officials such as Todd Ishee, warden of
Ohio State Penitentiary (OSP), argue that their restrictions provide a way to establish control in
what is still--and inherently--an extremely dangerous environment (Abramsky). But even
though prison officials are willing to justify solitary confinement with the purpose of reducing
prison violence, the prescribed method for dealing with uncooperative inmates who "act out" in
a supermax is still to send a team of guards into the cell with batons, stun guns, Mace, and tear
gas (Abramsky). Prisons are neglecting to address practices that cause prison violence and
instead resort to methods that only make the problem worse. Solitary confinement doesnt

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address the behavioral and mental conditions that cause the inmates to become imprisoned in the
first place, but instead allows them to become worse. Solitary confinement "does not protect the
public; it only sends a human time bomb into the community" (Gilligan). Prison gangs, one of
the main causes of prison violence, are often dealt with by way of solitary confinement. When
gang members are forced into solitary confinement they learn nothing except how those who
are stronger can dominate and inflict pain on those who are weaker (Testimony on Proposed
Rule). This is the last message the public wants resonating within the skull of a troubled
individual.
Torture is often considered to be one of the worst acts imaginable. It manifests in
countless means throughout history, dating back to before written time. Its always a malicious
means to a pointless end. Solitary confinement is no exception. It puts the victim through intense
psychological agony, leaves scars that never fade, and ruins any shot at a second chance. A
truculent means to an end it will never achieve.

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Works Cited
Abramsky, Sasha. "Return of the Madhouse." American Prospect Vol. 13 No. 3. Feb. 11 2002:
26-29. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 18 Feb. 2016.
DeMartini, Alayna. "Long Terms in Solitary Can Warp Minds, Critics Say." Columbus Dispatch
(Columbus, OH). Sept. 9 2007: n.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 18 Feb. 2016.
Gilligan, James. Violence: Reflections on a National Epidemic. New York: Vintage, 1997. Print.
Johnson, Kevin. "After Years in Solitary, Freedom Hard to Grasp." USA TODAY. 09 Jun. 2005:
n.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 18 Feb. 2016.
Obama, Barack. "Rethinking Solitary Confinement." Washington Post. 26 Jan. 2016: A.15. SIRS
Issues Researcher. Web. 18 Feb. 2016.
Testimony on Proposed Rule by the New York City Board of Correction (2014) (testimony of
James Gilligan, M.D., and Bandy Lee, M.D). Print.

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