The Prison System Solitary Confinement Essay - 1487 Words

Since the early 1800s, the United States has relied on a method of punishment barely known to any other country, solitary confinement (Cole). Despite this method once being thought of as the breakthrough in the prison system, history has proved differently. Solitary confinement was once used in a short period of time to fix a prisoners behavior, but is now used as a long term method that shows to prove absolutely nothing. Spending 22-24 hours a day in a small room containing practically nothing has proved to fix nothing in a person except further insanity. One cannot rid himself of insanity in a room that causes them to go insane. Solitary confinement is a flawed and unnecessary method of punishment that should be prohibited in the prison†¦show more content†¦Under the eighth amendment, cruel and unusual punishment is forbidden, however, that law stopped absolutely nothing. Inside the walls of the Eastern State Penitentiary, every action had a consequence. In the winter, if inmates were to misbehave they would get chained to the wall and have buckets of cold water thrown on them. In the summer they would get chained to a chair for days. It is bad enough most of the people in Eastern State were in solitary confinement, let alone getting strapped to a chair for days. If they continued to misbehave, an iron gag was placed over the mouth of the prisoner (Griest). The prisoners at Eastern State Penitentiary were clearly subject to cruel and unusual punishment. By the time Eastern State closed its doors in 1971, it was widely seen as a failure. The definition of cruel or unusual punishment is something still being argued today. Once a convict enters the prison system, they are stripped of some of their constitutional rights but one is sure to remain- no cruel or unusual punishment (At Issue: Treatment of Prisoners). Cruel and unusual punishment was never thoroughly defined. Anyone can interpret it the way they please. It is said that those who are mentally ill get much less punishment then those who are not. However, no one ever said what happens if you go insane inside of solitary confinement. In the current day prison system, if one goes insane while inside the system, youShow MoreRelatedSocial Welfare Policy Reading Essay : Solitary Confinement Essay1663 Words   |  7 PagesPolicy Reading Essay: Solitary Confinement RaeLynn Barott Minnesota State University, Mankato September 26th, 2016 There have been various studies conducted over the past few decades that show the devastating consequences of the use of solitary confinement in prisons. Studies show that the method of solitary confinement has the potential to lead to severe psychological effects on prison inmates. To address the consequences of solitary confinement in the U.S. federal prison system, President Obama directedRead MoreSolitary Confinement Effect On Prisoners1162 Words   |  5 Pages Solitary Confinement Effect on Prisoners Ashlee Chavez California State University Bakersfield Abstract This paper will include a review of different prison systems that have occurred in America, and how the Pennsylvania and New York or Auburn model have helped facilitate the use of solitary confinement. To establish the negative effects solitary confinement has on humans, this paper will provide reasons it is used, how it is used, and review conditions of solitary confinement. ItRead MoreSolitary Confinement Is The Violation Of Rights Essay1563 Words   |  7 PagesSolitary confinement surpasses the violation of rights and reaches the level of torture as prolonged exposure to isolation can have irreversible effects. 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An UrbanRead MoreA Look Into The World Of Solitary Confinement Essay1614 Words   |  7 PagesA Look into the World of Solitary Confinement Looking back to the early nineteenth century, the United States had adopted a new form of punishment. The punishment involves imprisoning a person in a cramped, concrete, sometimes windowless cell for hours ranging from 22 to 24 hours a day. Solitary confinement for many prison officials has been one of the primary methods to deal with difficult and sometimes dangerous inmates. Recreation for the rest of the prison population is usually about an hourRead MorePrison Officials : A New Form Of Punishment Essay1398 Words   |  6 Pagesimprisoning people in a cramped, concrete, windowless cell for between 22 and 24 hours a day. Solitary confinement for many prison officials has been a method to deal with difficult or dangerous prisoners. 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