Ms. Kahn’s class is discussing the use of solitary confinement in the prison system, and in particular its health effects. It turns out that scientists have actually studied the effects of isolation. The class read about a presentation on solitary confinement that some researchers gave at a conference. Ethan and Sumiko summarized some of the information the scientists shared:

Prisoners in isolation tend to become confused about who they are. They also suffer from high rates of depression, dizziness, rapid heartbeats, hallucinations, headaches, and suicidal thoughts. Additionally, prisoners in isolation tend to develop vision problems and lose weight.

Extreme stress from loss of personal contact can even cause parts of the brain to shrink over time. One important brain structure that can shrink this way is the hippocampus, which is involved in memory, decision-making, and control of emotion.

Discussion Question:

One of the stated goals of the prison system is to make inmates better members of society when they are eventually released. How might solitary confinement affect this goal?