4 ms·

I'm guessing in your case it's either a misunderstanding of what solitary would be like, or a misunderstanding of how bad it would be to share a cell with the a

by 3131s 10y ago

I'm guessing in your case it's either a misunderstanding of what solitary would be like, or a misunderstanding of how bad it would be to share a cell with the average prisoner. Solitary is not just getting the room to yourself. It's 24 hours a day of total isolation and really nothing at all to do. Your human contact would be limited to having guards slide food trays into your cell and once a day having a guard escort you to and from a slightly larger rec room (and you are alone there also). You would not have access to amenities that other prisoners have, like TV, computers, or possibly even books. I have seen descriptions of some solitary cells that are dark 24/7, and some that remain lit all day. Some people are in solitary for decades. I think staring at the wall all day and not having a meaningful conversation for years on end easily constitutes torture.

entropyneur 10y ago
I am honestly not trying to sneakily argue for the use of solitary :) For example, if I was asked right now to vote on it, I'd use my rational judgement to conclude that it's unethical and would vote against. However as soon as I imagine myself in both of these situations, having cellmates feels significantly more frightening even though I'm fully aware that I'd be 5-10 times as likely to kill myself without them. As others have pointed out, it might be because I have direct experience of conflict but not of isolation. However, I also don't have any direct experience of physical torture and still it scares me more than torture by isolation, so it's probably not that simple.
fiatjaf 10y ago
Really, how many people get to stay DECADES in prison? In Brazil the most horrible crimes have a de facto threshold of 6 years in jail.
- entropyneur 10y ago
  According to the article, some are spending decades in solitary :(
- Natsu 10y ago
  Generally speaking, those who commit violent felonies are relatively likely to serve sentences like that. So rapists, murders and that sort of thing. Part of the rationale is that it keeps people who willingly do such things away from society. So it's not simply punitive (and there's very little in the way of rehabilitation), it's more a matter of keeping them away from new victims. A point frequently lost in these conversations.
  - fiatjaf 10y ago
    Yes, that's what I always say too. And it is a strong argument. But still, in Brasil take 4 years and murderers 6 years in jail.
TeMPOraL 10y ago
When I saw the title of the article, "buried alive", I thought to myself: let's not hyperbolize. But after reading your description, I realized that ending up in a permanently dark solitary is in a way worse than getting buried alive - at least, in the latter case, you eventually suffocate or starve to death. In solitary, they use your survival instinct against you. You'll be fed and kept physically healthy, so you can't escape the isolation.

by 3131s 10y ago

entropyneur 10y ago

I am honestly not trying to sneakily argue for the use of solitary :) For example, if I was asked right now to vote on it, I'd use my rational judgement to conclude that it's unethical and would vote against. However as soon as I imagine myself in both of these situations, having cellmates feels significantly more frightening even though I'm fully aware that I'd be 5-10 times as likely to kill myself without them. As others have pointed out, it might be because I have direct experience of conflict but not of isolation. However, I also don't have any direct experience of physical torture and still it scares me more than torture by isolation, so it's probably not that simple.

fiatjaf 10y ago

Really, how many people get to stay DECADES in prison? In Brazil the most horrible crimes have a de facto threshold of 6 years in jail.

entropyneur 10y ago
According to the article, some are spending decades in solitary :(
Natsu 10y ago
Generally speaking, those who commit violent felonies are relatively likely to serve sentences like that. So rapists, murders and that sort of thing. Part of the rationale is that it keeps people who willingly do such things away from society. So it's not simply punitive (and there's very little in the way of rehabilitation), it's more a matter of keeping them away from new victims. A point frequently lost in these conversations.
- fiatjaf 10y ago
  Yes, that's what I always say too. And it is a strong argument. But still, in Brasil take 4 years and murderers 6 years in jail.

TeMPOraL 10y ago

When I saw the title of the article, "buried alive", I thought to myself: let's not hyperbolize. But after reading your description, I realized that ending up in a permanently dark solitary is in a way worse than getting buried alive - at least, in the latter case, you eventually suffocate or starve to death. In solitary, they use your survival instinct against you. You'll be fed and kept physically healthy, so you can't escape the isolation.