Pros And Cons Of Solitary Confinement

Within the United States, approximately 80,000 prisoners are currently in solitary confinement (Nolan and Amico). For countless people, that is 80,000 too many. Encyclopedia Britannica states, “Solitary confinement is a form of incarceration in which a prisoner is isolated from other inmates.” Critics of this controversial practice characterize it as inhumane. However, simultaneously an opposing side of the argument supports solitary confinement. One person, Mr. Gangi, said solitary confinement is necessary as a part of the “punishment by removal” system employed throughout several prisons in the United States. Punishment by removal is part of various techniques used within the federal prison system to subdue its inmates and maintain order

First, it has given prisoners severe mental issues and pain that have made sone reach the point of suicide. Second, it violates international charters aiming to preserve human dignity. Third, it increases the recidivism rate among prisoners who completed their sentences. Furthermore, it has locked people in a metal box for at most 22-24 hours a day, as permissible by law in the U.S. (“Solitary Confinement Facts”). To end this injustice, lawmakers in the United States must agree to introduce alternatives to solitary confinement. Whether that be restorative justice, rehabilitation programs, electronic ankle bracelets, or another just alternative that removes the need for solitary confinement in the first place, it is the correct solution. Although solitary confinement has caused much harm to millions of people, there are plenty of alternatives to such a cruel measure. “Through every struggle that I have been confronted with and have been subjected to - solitary confinement, long legal battles, and physically transitioning to the woman I have always been - I manage not only to survive, but to grow, learn, mature, and thrive as a better, more confident person.” (“Brainy