Solitary confinement

Jail room with light coming in

If there’s a reason why Arthur Johnson has spent nearly four decades in solitary, Pennsylvania hasn’t given it—and now the case has national implications.

Solitary confinement can cause neurological damage that is so profound it can be seen on EEG-scans and "the brain may become as impaired as one that has incurred a traumatic injury".

If you're planning a trip to San Francisco then a visit to Alcatraz Island needs to be on your list of things to do. Here are 15 things you need to know before visiting Alcatraz Prison.

His experience on the inside is the centerpiece of his new book, Mr. Smith Goes to Prison.

solitary confinement

Federal agency guideline on the use of solitary confinement: An individual should never be locked in solitary confinement, except as an absolute last resort. Individuals, when in isolated confinement, must have the ability to socialize, to communicate and to physically interact with other individuals. This would be great news for those of us working on solitary reform, except for one thing: this guideline doesn’t apply to humans; it applies to mice.

Prevailing understandings about race in prison often group black prisoners together, only separating them by gang affiliation. Yet, our essay suggests that religion has long been an important identifier for the prison staff who seek to control them.

More than 30 states have moved to reduce their use of solitary confinement as prison hunger strikes, lawsuits and activism have brought new scrutiny to the mental health effects of isolation, and the risks that freed prisoners might pose following long-term exposure to solitary.