Case Study #5

Ethics in Solitary Confinement.

Torture does not just come in the physical form; solitary confinement is
a form of modern psychological torture endured to prisoners. This is not only
unethical but it is an extreme violation of human rights. Going off with Kants
theory, this is a violation of the prisoners humanity since they lose their
dignity, a part of their soul they cant get back.
Prison has held the title of rehabilitation for many years, but just now
we are realizing that this title does not fit. Prison is a place where the
immoral people are forced to go to in order to keep society clean; but no one
really does anything to make this people capable to come back to society.
This is why the system does not work; this is why the prisons in this country
are so numerous. Because once prisoners leave, they are still likely to come
back since they have not been rehabilitated, they no longer fit in any society.
Solitary confinement is, without a doubt, the cruelest legal way to
torture someone. Human beings, by their nature, need social contact; they
cannot survive well in isolation. If the purpose of someone going to prison is
to become rehabilitated so they will not cause any harm in society, why are
prisoners deprived of their own nature. As the second article mentions,
Solitary confinement cannot be said to reform or rehabilitate prisoners (Isdale, pg. 9). A person
with nothing to do, with having to spend hours alone, becomes dehumanized; loses his or her
sense of autonomy.

Solitary Confinement is definitely an issue that has to be addressed as soon as possible,

since not only violates peoples dignity but it raises the question of hypocrisy in the United
States; a country where human rights are valued, where diversity is celebrated, are we really
going to still treat people who did us wrong like animals?