3/26/13

Tarnished Minds

A week or so ago I happen to catch a segment on Rock Center talking about solitary confinement.

It was talking about how juveniles with mental disorders shouldn't be kept in solitary confinement. They are kept in solitary confinement due to them being under 18 and not able to go to "prison". Well, they're put in prison but go to solitary confinement. Research and data is piled high now to show and prove that putting a person in solitary confinement is not good for their health. More so psychologically. Let us take a few samples.

Citing Solitary Watch [11], in a testimony before the California Assembly's public safety committee in August 2011, Dr. Craig Haney discussed the effects of solitary confinement. In short, prisoners in these units complain of chronic and overwhelming feeling of sadness, hopelessness, and depression. Rates of suicide in the California lockup units are by far the highest in any prison units anywhere in the country. Many SHU inmates become deeply and unshakably paranoid, and are profoundly anxious around and afraid of people (on those rare occasions where they are allowed contact with them). Some begin to lose their grasp on their sanity and badly decompensate. [11] 1

But the consensus among the many is that since we're the "worst of the worst" then we deserve this punishment. I figure that not many "citizens" give it a second thought or a thought to begin with. What's funny is that I tell guards at time, "don't think you're immune to this, you can easily find yourself on this side."

Never mind the physical for a second. The main hurt, pain and suffering is through the mind. The effect is a numbing sensation to things around you. Of course it affects people differently, however the main thing that all who have been in solitary confinement know that it tarnishes the mind. In a sense it makes you feel as something is wrong with you! It's just boring at times. For example to use myself. The T.V. is OK but it only does so much. The person you're living with is the same thing. After you discussed past experiences, etc, what's next? So that dies off. Books are good too but once you've read them all, what now? It hit me the other day when I had no clue as to what to do and when I did find something to do my mind simply wasn't willing, able or wanting to participate.

As a mostly subjective writing and one who endures the torturous effects of solitary confinement I could tell you it has no objective besides punitive punishment. As if locking me in a cell all day is somehow going to "cure me"? It doesn't do nothing besides harbor and nurture animosity. Not to mention it's costing tax-payers a shitload of money. And for what? We're in our cells all day, all the guards are doing is feeding, showering (when they feel like showering us), and passing out mail. Hopefully recent committees and legislative investigations will recognize that solitary confinement is not working and shouldn't be used at all.

NOTES: solitarywatch.com/solitary confinement FAQ, pg. 3.