The United States is the only country that uses solitary confinement in prisons in the manner that it does. Psychologists often consider this practice torture, and note that it is not possible to rehabilitate criminals using this method, although that is the goal cited by these programs. If used at all, it should only be as a last resort and never for months or years at a time, as is too often the case.
U.S. Prisons have refused to comply with the U.S. Commission on Safety and Abuse in America’s Prisons recommendations to end long term solitary confinement, and have similarly ignored the simple list of demands from the Pelican Bay inmates whose hunger strike was granted little media coverage. We ask you to make it so these oppressive practices can no longer continue in our country.