Poll: Do you believe that solitary confinement

[cali]

is torture?




For the purpose of this poll, solitary confinement is defined as it's widely practiced in U.S. prisons.

12 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	Yes
	7 (58%)
	No
	4 (33%)
	Other
	1 (8%)
	0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
Show usernames Disclaimer: This is an Internet poll

[Ranchemp.]

1. It is a form of torture,

but some inmates are so violent, they attack CO's, attack and murder other inmates, that there really is no other option than solitary confinement.

[kentauros]

2. In those cases it may still be called "solitary"

but it's also called "segregating" to separate them from the general population. It also protects them from those that would retaliate.

[Ranchemp.]

3. Good point.

As I understand it, the inmate is in lockdown for 23 hours and is allowed into a segregated yard for 1 hour of exercise and I believe, allowed 3 showers a week.

[kentauros]

4. I often wonder about the brain-damage of these types of offenders.

"Normal" people aren't like that. I'm sure there's plenty of medical literature on them, and on the use of solitary in such instances. That's probably also how they determine how much is enough and what the limits are before causing further damage. You don't want to end up making a violent offender even worse, yet you also don't want to let them free to harm everyone else.

As often as we hear of bad guards and other reprehensible behavior by prison officials, it's still a stressful life, especially for the good ones working in those situations.

[NuclearDem]

5. For extended periods of time, absolutely.

[MineralMan]

6. Not enough information to determine.

Are all US prisons alike? I doubt that very much. So, this poll is not specific enough to form a valid opinion, in my opinion.

[cali]

12. Actually, no. Most federal and state prisons use much the same practices re

solitary confinement/administrative segregation.

Andrew Cohen has written extensively about solitary. Many of his pieces can be found in The Atlantic.

Here's a piece which describes the practice in CA- and calls for banning it.

http://www.dailycal.org/2013/11/05/american-human-rights-problem/

[Sheri]

31. thanks for that link. scary. nt

[Katashi_itto]

13. Ripe nonsense. Prolonged Solitary is torture and damages the individual.

Been proven time and again.

[MineralMan]

18. No mention in the OP of "Prolonged" Solitary.

That's part of the reason for the vote I made.

The poll is too open in its description for me to make a vote on it.

Specifics are one of my requirements for voting in polls. Sorry if that's not OK with you.

[cali]

28. as it's generally practiced is a pretty big clue

[MineralMan]

29. Not really. It assumes knowledge not in evidence.

I voted other because the poll was not fully described. I do that. I don't see the problem here or any real reason do discuss my choice of options in your poll. I voted Other and explained. There it is.

With that, I won't participate in this subthread further.

[L0oniX]

7. Even a dog should not be treated this way.

[pipi_k]

9. Totally agree!

Mr Pipi and I are home 24/7 most of the time, and our dogs are with us. They have free access to a fenced yard, but often they prefer to be with us...their "pack".

It angers and sickens me to see dogs...who are pack animals...confined all by themselves, tied to a stake or in a doghouse out in the yard.

[woo me with science]

20. +10000

[pipi_k]

8. I do, and...

as someone who actually enjoys my own company/alone time, if I were forced to be alone for any extended period of time, it would seriously affect my mental health.

So I can see how serious it could be for someone used to being more social.

[LuvNewcastle]

10. Yes.

If it's used for punishment, it should only be done for a few days. If someone is so bad that they can't be allowed to have any contact with other inmates, they probably belong in a mental hospital, not prison. They need to be given medication and/or other treatments to control their behavior. If a prisoner has a chance of eventually getting released, they don't need to be driven mad by being kept indefinitely in isolation.

[NCTraveler]

11. It can be used as torture.

It is not always torture.

[quinnox]

14. Being imprisoned is torture

solitary confinement must be horrible too.

[cali]

15. that's just a

false equivalency.

here is some information:

https://afsc.org/resource/solitary-confinement-facts

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solitary_confinement

[NuclearDem]

19. Imprisonment in general population is not the same as being deprived of mental and social stimulus

[quinnox]

22. Let's put it this way, I would not want to undergo either experience

We are talking about different levels of hell here.

[NuclearDem]

23. I wouldn't either.

But imprisonment is generally not torture. Solitary is.

[cali]

25. no. you're still wrong.

you're still making a terrible false equivalency and minimizing torture.

[Nye Bevan]

16. Possibly. But then so is having a cellmate who rapes you (nt)

[cali]

21. so? what is your point?

and btw, there is virtually no doubt that as widely practiced in this country, SC is torture. The vast preponderance of expert opinion in those fields that study it, have concluded that it is definitively torture, and they have the evidence to prove it.

[Iggo]

17. I know it is. (n/t)

[NuclearDem]

24. For the skeptics:

Hour-long special on the history and effects of solitary confinement on prisoners:

http://wearecitizenradio.com/2013/03/23/20130323-special-americas-domestic-black-sites-the-tragic-history-of-solitary-confinement/

[cali]

26. I doubt this will change the minds of those who deny that it's torture

they reflect the conservative wing of DU. It's predictable as to who here doesn't think it's torture.

[NuclearDem]

27. Well, even if it doesn't change anyone's minds, it's good for people who want to know more.

[Sheri]

30. yep. pure torture and completely unnecessary. nt