From USA TODAY: “Research shows that solitary confinement can cause rage and frustration,Ā leading youth who experience it to act out. AndĀ thousands of juvenilesĀ are subjected to solitary confinement every year. Almost half of all secure juvenile facilities in AmericaĀ use isolationĀ to control behavior.
A child in solitary confinement spends hours, days, weeksĀ or even months isolatedĀ in a cell. A typical solitary cell is smaller than a parking space and contains nothing but a bed, a sinkĀ and a toilet. Children in solitary donāt attend school; they often donāt receive counseling, family contactĀ or treatment.
Not surprisingly, these conditions are profoundly destructive, leading a significant number of young people to cut themselves, engage in other forms of self-harm, or take their own lives.
In addition toĀ depression andĀ anxiety, solitary can also cause sleeplessnessĀ and long lasting trauma. Isolation is harmful for anyone, but particularly for adolescents whose ongoing development depends on social interaction. And it doesnāt work.Ā In fact,Ā decreased reliance on solitaryĀ is linked to increased facility safety. […]
[Activist Eddie] EllisĀ was able to get beyondĀ his childhood experiences.Ā He has been out of prison for 12 years and is now married with children.
But he cautions that isolating youth risks permanent damage: ‘You may be really destroying these kids emotionally and mentally before they have a chance to mature as people. Some of these kids may not be able to recover.'”
