Solitary Confinement

Paper Summary:

This paper examines how the practice of confining a prisoner to a state prison offering only the most minimal of human contact remains as controversial as it is well-established. It looks at the history of the practice and analyzes how the reasoning behind the action often is described as being proactive but whether to protect the prisoner from harm at the hands of other inmates or to minimize his own potential for harming others, it cannot be denied that the step also represents a profound form of punishment. It puts forward the argument of how a nation which proudly bears the banner of "human rights" when negotiating with other countries can continue to exercise an activity which, in the minds of many, is a very real form of psychological torture.

Outline
Introduction (Posing the Question)
Super-Max Prisons (Defining the Activity)
The Residents (Those Who Live In Solitary Confinement)
Cruel and Unusual? (Can We Afford to Continue?)

From the Paper:

"The effectiveness of solitary confinement promoted its widespread use throughout the following centuries within the borders of the United States. There were occasional variations of the theme, such as in the early existence of the very famous Alcatraz Prison, where prisoners were allowed to physically associate but were strictly forbidden to speak to one another. But in general, the original blueprint remained the most widely-utilized model while evolving toward the exaggeration of the concept, the "Super-Max" prisons. "

More papers on Solitary Confinement:

• Comparison Essay # 106811 : "The Benefits and Dangers of Solitude"
• Descriptive Essay # 104160 : "Juvenile Abuse at the Jena, Louisiana Prison"
• Term Paper # 22663 : "The Effectiveness of Seclusion"

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