TST IN ENGLISH: Solitary confiment - Correct method of punishment or psychological torture?

Often society looks with rejection and almost hate on those that commit horrific, criminal offenses; rape, theft and killing. Punishments for the offenses are according. In some countries, death penalty follows. Western democracies avoid such road but adopt more long-term tools of chastisement, deriving prisoners of their human rights. The following article is going to consider the nature and implications of solitary confinement, as one of the controversial tools adopted by western democracies in punishing the offenders.

Solitary confinement is a treatment that some prisoners undergo in the United Kingdom and in the United States. It consists of being isolated in a small cell from other prisoners, lasting without human contact and with very little conversation. The purpose of solitary confinement is to isolate extremely dangerous prisoners that are believed to be threats to other prisoners and to guards.

It therefore restores order in prisons. The United Kingdom Prison Rule 45 permits solitary confinement but restricts it to 21 days maximum for adult prisoners and up to 10 days for adolescents. The United States, however, permits indefinite detainment of prisoners.

In theory, the purpose of a prison is to isolate and punish citizens that do not respect laws that ensure safety and peace in society. In other words, because these citizens fail to respect laws in society, society responds by taking some rights of these citizens away. Temporary isolation, while in prison, enables prisoners to think over their actions and come to a conclusion themselves.

Torture as a punishment is not justified because pain causes only a drive for revenge, which does not result in more safe society. Prison should not encourage a person to revenge or oppose the executive powers because then society as a whole suffers.

Solitary confinement is one type of punishment that prisoners can undergo in prison. On one hand, the guards must have the right to isolate extreme prisoners for the sake of the safety of other prisoners and of themselves. On the other hand, the right of a guard to put a prisoner on solitary confinement for unlimited period of time can be questioned.

Lifetime consequences

Dellelo was a prisoner in Walpole prison, who was committed to Departmental Disciplinary Unit for five years. He recalls that at first he thought this was going to be easy for him. After thirty days a prisoner could receive a radio and after sixty he was given white and black, thirteen inches TV.

He spent on average twenty-three hours in his prison cell which had no windows and a steel door. Further, he was completely isolated from other prisoners and had no physical contact. After a period of time, Dellelo started losing his mind. He was hallucinating that the walls were changing colors, he spoke to himself and he walked around the room without a break. At one point, he imagined TV talking right at him, time after which he hid the TV and never took it out again. When he was allowed to meet his lawyer, Dellelo could not handle human interaction. Following hand gestures and words became hard.

Further, one thought occupied his mind and that was revenge. Dellelo recalls imagining a scene where he cut off the head of one of the nasty guards and roll it down the tier.

From this case, one can summarize that solitary confinement does not succeed in its purpose but does quite the opposite. It encourages violence and revenge. It psychologically destroys a prisoner and it has a long-term consequence on the mental state of a prisoner. One can even declare solitary confinement as a torture. Torture does not have to be physical. Mental torture is sometimes more drastic in its effect.

To what extent is this then justified? Mental torture that has permanent effect on a prisoner. On one hand, it is true that the purpose of a prison is to punish. On the other hand, this type of punishment destroys a prisoner, changing his personality and mental state. He can never go back to having an ordinary lifestyle. Similar with Dellelo, where after prison, he lives alone in a flat and rarely goes out or interacts with others. Solitary confinement makes a prisoner lose a desire to interact. Those put on solitary confinement later become outsiders in society.

Who is the judge?

In addition to the drastic effects of solitary confinement, one can also question the right of a guard to decide whom to put for such treatment. This, almost privilege, enables a guard to, without explanations, put a prison to solitary confinement and it is up to one single guard to decide this. Does this not encourage abuse of a position? Yes, prisoners, while in prisons do not have full rights of a citizen but it does not mean that they are in any way, not human. Despite the crimes they commit, prisoners do deserve justice on them. And justice, when put in the hands of one single guard, is restricted.

Thus, solitary confinement, as I believe, has no place in our society. Prisoners are human beings despite being deprived of some rights that other citizens possess. In no way should one have the right to torture prisoners. And in no way should a prisoner struggle to keep themselves sane and be deprived of their most precious right, a right to human interaction.

Bottom line: And what is your opinion? Do you agree or would you prefer more severe methods of punishment?