For an overview of the context of the state's research on, and use of, solitary confinement I'd recommend the book "Brainwash: The Secret History of Mind Contro

For an overview of the context of the state's research on, and use of, solitary confinement I'd recommend the book "Brainwash: The Secret History of Mind Control": http://www.amazon.com/Brainwash-Secret-History-Mind-Control/dp/031232572X http://www.amazon.com/Brainwash-Secret-History-Mind-Control/.... Despite the sensationalist title, it's a sober, wryly humorous look at the evolution of psychological coercion techniques in modern states.