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SOLITARY CONFINEMENT AS A REHABILITATIVE TECHNIQUE REPLY TO LUCAS

NCJ Number
50086
Journal
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology Volume: 11 Issue: 2 Dated: (JUNE 1978) Pages: 106-112
Author(s)
P SUEDFELD
Date Published
1978
Length
7 pages
Annotation
THE USE AND EFFECT OF SOLITARY CONFINEMENT IN PRISONS AS A REHABILITATIVE TECHNIQUE IS REVIEWED.
Abstract
SOME ARGUMENTS VIEW SOLITARY CONFINEMENT AS A FORM OF TORTURE OR BRAINWASHING. IT IS POINTED OUT THAT HIGH LEVELS OF ANXIETY AND STRESS ASSOCIATED WITH SOLITARY CONFINEMENT HAVE LARGELY DISAPPEARED IN RESEARCH STUDIES BECAUSE EXPERIMENTERS HAVE GENERALLY STOPPED USING PROCEDURES THAT MAKE SUBJECTS FEARFUL BEFORE CONFINEMENT. SENSORY DEPRIVATION HAS BENEFICIAL EFFECTS ON A VARIETY OF PERCEPTUAL AND COGNITIVE FUNCTIONS, AND AN INCREASING VOLUME OF RESEARCH HAS ESTABLISHED THAT THE TECHNIQUE IS A HIGHLY USEFUL ONE IN A NUMBER OF CLINICAL SITUATIONS. THERE IS A SCARCITY OF ACCEPTABLE EVIDENCE ABOUT THE ACTUAL EFFECTS OF SOLITARY CONFINEMENT IN PRISONS. IN AN EFFORT TO SUPPLY SUCH EVIDENCE, A RESEARCH TEAM IS INTERVIEWING AND TESTING PRISONERS IN A NUMBER OF CANADIAN PENAL INSTITUTIONS. MOST SUBJECTS, BASED ON PRELIMINARY RESULTS, FIND SOLITARY CONFINEMENT BENEFICIAL AND DESIRABLE AND DESCRIBE IT AS TOLERABLE AND RELATIVELY COMFORTABLE EVEN THOUGH THEY MAY RESENT WHAT THEY PERCEIVE AS UNJUSTIFIED SEGREGATION. ONE OF THE BASIC PROBLEMS RELATED TO THE ISSUE OF SOLITARY CONFINEMENT IS CONFUSION OF SOLITARY CONFINEMENT WITH A VARIETY OF OTHER TREATMENTS SOMETIMES APPLIED IN CONJUNCTION WITH ISOLATION BUT JUST AS EASILY AND EVEN MORE FREQUENTLY USED IN THE ABSENCE OF ISOLATION. IN A RESEARCH WORK BY LUCAS, THE USE OF SOLITARY CONFINEMENT AS A REHABILITATIVE TECHNIQUE IS RECOMMENDED, WITH THE SEVERITY AND DURATION OF TREATMENT STRICTLY MONITORED AND CONTROLLED TO PREVENT HARM TO THE INDIVIDUAL. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)

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