The US condemns other countries for torturing their prisoners, such as North Korea, Iran, etc. However, America doesn’t exactly not torture prisoners. In a maximum-security prison called ADX, all of the prisoners are punished with solitary confinement. There are stuck inside a tiny room for 23 hours. This torture may not be the one you think of, such as ones with pain, but being alone for an extended amount of time can be very damaging. Do you think that preventing prisoners from seeing other people violates their rights?
Socializing with other people is an essential thing that humans need. Laura Rovner says that humans find out their identities by interacting with other people. Some prisoners literally go insane from solitary confinement, banging their heads against the walls, doing unnatural things, and other actions we wouldn’t even think of doing. Other prisoners cut themselves to be reminded that they are still part of this world, attempt suicide, and also try to interact with other people by yelling into the shower vent but it results in them losing their voice.
I believe that isolating prisoners shouldn’t be allowed. If it’s necessary, then only for a few days like how the UK has a 15-day limit. Some people think that torture can be allowed for people who are extremely bad, such as mass murderers. However, if America says that torture is unacceptable, then we shouldn’t have it at all. No matter the extent of someone’s actions, that person is still a person. Confining them is basically treating them like an animal and it would probably only lead to worse behavior.
What is your insight on solitary confinement? Should it be allowed for a short period of time, or just have it banned completely? And if these people who have done terrible things don’t get this kind of punishment, what other things can suit them?