It is often thought that those who are held in solitary confinement are the “worst of the worst; however, that thought process is unequivocally incorrect. David Cloud reports, in a 2015 article in the American Journal of Public Health, that “only a small percentage of people held in isolation need to be continuously separated from the general population” and that often times inmates are sentenced to solitary because of “minor rule infractions, such as talking back (insolence), smoking, failing to report to work or school, refusing to return a food tray, or possessing an excess quantity of postage stamps." Other reasons inmates are held in isolation are because they are “lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals or even because of perceived gang affiliation." Often time’s inmates are sentenced to solitary confinement “based solely on a point system that includes factors such as tattoos, known associates, and possessions suggesting gang affiliation, without regard to individual behaviors." These findings directly conflict with the commonly held belief that only violent criminals are held in isolation. More often that not, prisoners held in solitary confinement will, at some point, be released from prison.
|
Longest Average StayTexas inmates have the longest average stay in isolation cell in the nation.
|
Released Directly from SolitaryOver 63% of Texas isolation inmates are release directly from solitary confinement to the general public without any supervision.
|
No Reform for Texas?Texas continues to be one of the few states which rely heavily on solitary confinement, but still has not seen any reform.
|