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The Psychological Effects of Solitary Confinement

Meera Patel, M.Ed. & Kristine M. Jacquin, Ph.D.

American College of Forensic Psychology 2018

Psychological Effects

•  Solitary confinement is placing an inmate

in segregation from other inmates for up to 23 hours a day.

•  The use of solitary confinement has increased substantially throughout the years (National Commission on Correctional Health Care, 2016).

•  Inmates can potentially stay in isolation for part or all of their sentences due to medical reasons, punishment, suicidal or homicidal ideation, severe and or persistent mental illness, and safety hazards (National Commission on Correctional Health Care, 2016).

•  Many inmates who are chronically mentally ill are put in solitary confinement due to insufficient mental health staff and overcrowding (Kupers, 2008).

•  Inmates can be released straight from solitary confinement after serving their prison sentence.

•  Prisons lack a buffer between solitary confinement and the public; this is potentially dangerous because the inmate may have little human interaction for years and lose the social skills needed to survive outside prison (Arrigo & Bullock, 2008).

•  Inmates who were released straight from solitary confinement were 69% more likely to commit an offense (see figure; Lovell, Clark, & Cane, 2007).

•  Prisoners become very distressed and psychotic after spending extended amounts of time in solitary confinement (Grassian, 2006).

•  Prisoners also reported that they

experienced depression, suicidal and homicidal ideation, and were distant after being in long-term solitary confinement (Grassian, 2006).

•  Inmates with a mental illness are

especially prone to these effects and tend to have chronic psychological problems after being in long term solitary confinement (Haney, 2017).

•  Inmates suffering from a psychotic

disorder are more predisposed to deterioration (Haney, 2017).

•  Inmates become disruptive and

unable to cope with the emotional distress of their illness and isolation when kept in solitary confinement, which leads to an inmate lacking coping skills when released from prison (Kupers, 2008).

•  Individuals were more prone to self-harm residing in and after release from solitary confinement when compared to inmates housed in other units (Kaba et al., 2014).

•  Enrolling inmates in an anger

management program can help decrease violent offenses for inmates and assist them in managing stress levels (Dowden, Blanchette, & Serin, 2001).

•  Prison yoga programs have also

improved impulsiveness, addiction, distress, and self-worth for inmates (Auty, Cope, & Liebling, 2015).

•  Implementing different housing units for

Severely Mentally Ill (SMI) individuals reduces the need for isolating these inmates.

•  Jails saw a decrease in the number of suicide attempts by the SMI housed in alternative housing units compared to solitary confinement (Kaba et al., 2014).

•  Studies have shown a relationship between

solitary confinement and harmful psychological effects of having an inmate in solitary confinement.

•  Many prisons in the U.S. and around the world have incorporated rehabilitation programs and alternative housing units that could be a safer alternative to solitary confinement.

•  After attending a rehabilitation program, inmates are less likely to commit an offense and have more coping skills to utilize when dealing with potentially stressful situations (Dowden, Blanchette, & Serin, 2001).

•  It would also be beneficial for inmates with severe psychiatric illnesses to be housed in separate units with more care.

Arrigo, B. A., & Bullock, J. L. (2008). The psychological effects of solitary confinement on prisoners in

supermax units: Reviewing what we know and recommending what should change. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 52(6), 622-640. doi:10.1177/0306624X07309720

Auty, K. M., Cope, A., & Liebling, A. (2015). A systematic review and meta-analysis of yoga and mindfulness meditation in prison: Effects on psychological well-being and behavioral functioning. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 61, 689-710. doi:10.1177/0306624X1560251

Dowden, C., Blanchette, K., & Serin, R. (2001). Anger management programming for federal male inmates: An effective intervention. Forum on Corrections Research, 13(2), 24-44.

Glowa-Kollisch, S., Kaba, F., Waters, A., Leung, Y. J., Ford, E., & Venters, H. (2016). From punishment to treatment: The "clinical alternative to punitive segregation" (CAPS) program in New York City jails. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 13, 182. doi:10.3390/ijerph13020182

Grassian, S. (2006). Psychiatric effects of solitary confinement. Washington University Journal of Law & Policy, 22, 325.

Haney, C. (2017). “Madness” and penal confinement: Some observations on mental illness and prison pain. Punishment & Society, 19 , 310-326. doi:10.1177/1462474517705389

Kaba, F., Lewis, A., Glowa-Kollisch, S., Hadler, J., Lee, D., Alper, H., & Venters, H. (2014). Solitary confinement and risk of self-harm among jail inmates. American Journal of Public Health, 104, 442-447. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2013.301742

Kupers, T. A. (2008). What to do with the survivors? Coping with the long-term effects of isolated confinement. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 35, 1005-1016. doi:10.1177/0093854808318591

Lovell, D., Johnson, L. C., & Cain, K. C. (2007). Recidivism of supermax prisoners in Washington state. Crime & Delinquency, 53, 633-656. doi:10.1177/0011128706296466

National Commission on Correctional Health Care Board of Directors. (2016). Position statement: Solitary confinement (isolation). Journal of Correctional Health Care, 22(3), 257-263. doi:10.1177/1078345816654233

Introduction

10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00% 70.00% 80.00% 90.00%

100.00%

Inmates Released Straight From Solitary Confinement

Inmates Released Into General Population Before

Prison Release

Former Prisoners Who Commit a New Felony Offense

Conclusions Possible Alternatives

References