Please join the Center for Psychology and Law for a special Views by Two presentation by Anthony Gay and Dr. Keramet Reiter!
Solitary confinement — the widespread American prison practice of keeping prisoners locked in cells the size of a wheelchair-accessible bathroom stall for months and years at a time - has come under increasing state, federal, and international scrutiny in recent years. A national #StopSolitary movement supports efforts to abolish the practice in jails, juvenile facilities, and state and federal prisons. But many correctional officials defend the practice as necessary for safety and security and dispute claims that the practice is harmful. A recent rash of research, though, has documented the physical, neurological, and mental health impacts of extended terms of solitary confinement. Keramet Reiter will discuss this recent research, including findings from a study she led, interviewing and evaluating a random sample of more than 100 people in solitary confinement in Washington state prisons. Anthony Gay will discuss his own experiences in solitary confinement in Illinois prisons, as well as his more recent work to advocate for abolition of the practice.
