HUMAN RIGHTS | Solitary Confinement is a Human Rights Issue.

• Date: 01 March 2020
• Author: McKay-Panos, Linda

Mahatma Ghandi once said: "A nation's greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members." Canada has used solitary confinement for prisoners for decades. In the past several years, solitary confinement has been the subject of criticism from civil libertarians and mental health advocates.

Usually, solitary confinement involves isolating inmates in a small cell without human contact for 22 hours per day. Often called "administrative segregation", solitary confinement has been the subject of increased scrutiny because of suicides and mental health issues suffered by prisoners who may be held for years in isolation. In A Sourcebook on Solitary Confinement, Dr. Sharon Shalev (2008), a leading international authority on solitary confinement, states that between one-third and 90% of prisoners experience some negative impacts of long-term solitary confinement. The symptoms may include insomnia, confusion, feelings of hopelessness and despair, distorted perceptions and hallucinations.

For over 20 years, the Correctional Investigator has criticized the overuse of solitary confinement in Canada. For example, see the Annual Report of the Office of the Correctional Investigator 2014-2015 (Annual Report, 2014-2015). The Correctional Investigator notes that...