Solitary Confinement

Tonight I attended a local fundraiser to help raise bail for those who are unable to do so themselves. It was a wonderful event with many fantastic people in attendance, but it was much more than that; it was a powerful reminder of how unfair our current system is. As the night went on, many conversations about the topic of incarceration and our justice system in general could be overheard, but there was one topic that I really began thinking about and that is solitary confinement. I remember the first time I heard about the concept, I honestly thought it didn't sound that bad. "I enjoy being alone, so why is it such a bad thing?" is what I initially thought all those years ago. However, it's one of those issues that gets more disturbing the more you look into it. Many decry the practice of placing inmates in solitary confinement, and for a very good reason: it's psychological torture. That might sound extreme but the fact of the matter is that such nomenclature isn't exaggerating, but rather, is quite accurate. It's a violation of human rights because it is the purposeful deprival of one of the most basic aspects of an individuals humanity: interaction. Human beings are social creatures by nature, we're meant to interact with others. Even individuals who don't typically like to be around others, still need to have the option available to them. Those in solitary confinement do not have that option. When I said that this is a concept that gets more disturbing the more you look into it, I really wasn't lying. Just take some time to read about the experiences of those that have been in solitary, and you will come to understand that it fundamentally changes people for the worse. Imagine not being able to communicate with anyone, being completely alone, in complete and utter silence in a small cell. I don't think it's a stretch to say that such a situation would drive even the strongest individual to some degree of madness. As it turns out, that's precisely the case with solitary confinement. Those that come out of it, don't do so as the same person that went in. There is something about that degree of intense isolation that is harmful to ones very humanity. It's cruel and unusual, but it's not just that. It's an unnatural practice and it needs to end. I really don't care what someone's offense was, even prisoners don't deserve to be tortured in that kind of manner. Prison isn't just supposed to be a punishment, it's supposed to be a period of reform for individuals, but that's not what's going on in our current system. There are many problems with our criminal justice system but the practice of solitary confinement is a particularly glaring one. The reason I feel that it needs to be talked about more is that in my understanding, most people think of it in the same way that I did when I first heard about it; not a big deal. But it is a very big deal and not only does awareness need to be raised concerning the matter, action needs to be taken to stop this grotesque practice. I've always believed that how a society treats the lowest in it's perceived ranks, is a reflection of the health of that society. How we treat our disabled, our marginalized, and yes, our incarcerated, is a reflection of our own values. That being the case, looking at our current system, we should all be very concerned about the state of our societies health.