I understand the need to protect prisoners, but I find the oft-repeated suggestion that people need to be placed in solitary confinement for their "own protecti

I understand the need to protect prisoners, but I find the oft-repeated suggestion that people need to be placed in solitary confinement for their "own protection" rather perverse. Often times, solitary confinement, and suicide watch in particular, is so harsh and causes so much physical and emotional damage that it's only "protection" in the very narrow sense that the prisoner doesn't die. (Though, in California, suicide watch has been found to actually drive people to commit suicide as soon as they get out[1].) Also, I believe we should make these assessments based on what's the right thing to do, rather than on what minimizes public relations fiascoes or best covers the asses of prison officials. [1] http://articles.latimes.com/2013/feb/28/local/la-me-ff-prisons-20130228 http://articles.latimes.com/2013/feb/28/local/la-me-ff-priso...