Rethinking Isolation as a Normal Punishment

         As a blog post on "Uncaptive Voices" details, there was a recent report by the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas detailing the many problems with Solitary Confinement in Texas. There is increasing evidence that our current methods of dealing with societal problems are not producing rehabilitative effects and likely are increasing or worsening violence and mental illness. There is also a short TED talk on the subject of addiction, isolation, and bonding which comes to a similar conclusion about the treatment of compulsive behaviors in our country.

        I would argue that these two resources should be almost required reading/viewing in any serious discussion about prisons and mental health in this country. I would like to challenge others out there to check out these two links and discuss how they may change the way we view our society and our prisons. Can we imagine a different future with a more rehabilitative approach to the challenges of violence, mental illness, and compulsive behaviors? 

Links:

A Solitary Failure--Report by ACLU of TX

"Everything You Think You Know About Addiction is Wrong" TED Talk by Johann Hari

Source:

https://uncaptivevoices.wordpress.com/