Impacts of Solitary Confinement and Sensory Deprivation on Inmate Behaviour Essay Example

information that would help in covering up the truth or even counter the opportunity to learn violent acts from fellow prisoners. But, though the exercise helps in interrogating the inmate, it promotes inmate resistance and futility attitude after the solitary engagement (Weir, 2012).

Therefore, after being excluded from the rest of the inmates and denied an opportunity to interact, psychological disorders may begin cropping up. They may be expressed in terms of mental confusion, hallucinations, bizarre thoughts, anxiety or even depression. With these symptoms, the inmate portrays disturbing physical, psychological and behavioral characteristics which may result in violence, vandalism or self-harm (Shalev, 2012).

Following this, it would be important to understand why, when and how long inmates are placed under solitary condition resulting to negative behaviour. In the current prison system, inmates can be placed under sensory deprivation and solitary confinement for about 24 hours to a week based on the complexity of the matter. During this period, the inmate is limited to have phone calls, visitors, interaction with other cellmates or even access the daily TV updates (Breslow, 2014).

There are numerous reasons why inmates are placed under solitary confinement and sensory deprivation plans. Criminal and violent gang members are placed under sensory deprivation as a form of punishment. But to the surprise of the National Institute of Correction, they end up becoming more violent than they were before. They try to vandalize the cell bars in pursuit of escape or even end up killing themselves due to depression (Weir, 2012).

Others are placed under this plan as a way of protecting them from harm. For example, a young or a newly brought-in criminal may be harassed by

the old prisoners in a cell which results in this isolation. During the isolation, the inmate is faced with anxiety, depression and tension of what his case file. As a result, the inmate may end up being violent or even vandalize prison materials such as toilet dishes, water pipes or even sleeping materials. Therefore, solitary confinement and sensory deprivation promote psychological traumas’ that result to unwanted and risk behaviour observed with inmates (Breslow, 2014).

Discussion of the Issue

Sensory disturbances, memory and attention disruption and primitive and aggressive fantasies are some of the sensory deprivation side effects that are observed with inmates. Though States and Private prisons are using the Sensory Deprivation, the strategy has led to increased number of mentally ill inmates hence the unwanted behavior experienced in prisons (Breslow, 2014).

According to research done by the National Institute of Corrections (NIC), the inability of some inmates to defend themselves during court trials is due to this sensory deprivation technique. Most inmates tend to accept every allegation placed against them leading to the high number of incarceration we are experiencing in America. It is also evident that sensory deprivation interferes with basic human needs such as the right to association which brings in unwanted behaviour in prisons (Breslow, 2014). For example, the National Institute of Corrections found out that individuals who were placed in solitary confinement or under the sensory deprivation strategy were more likely to engage in behaviors such as manipulation of prison staff, fighting, loudness and inappropriate sexual behaviour with fellow inmates (Weir, 2012).

Change in behaviour may be linked to the research conducted by psychologist Abraham Maslow in 1943 where he indicated that normal self

in humans is achieved by receiving all esteem needs, safety needs, physical needs and love needs (Breslow, 2014). Therefore, sensory deprivation denies an inmate all these needs leading to the adoption of unethical behaviour. That is, if the prison does not achieve these needs by placing the inmate in Solitary confinement or sensory deprivation, then the inmate will adopt these behaviours to cover up his or her innermost desires (Weir, 2012). The exaggerated expectations by prison staffs after placing inmates in confinement cells makes it possible for inmates to have these unwanted behaviours. For example, an inmate may be placed into confinement cells due to harassment but he will end up threatening and intimidating others after the confinement period is over. Others may decide to harm themselves while still in the cells to achieve their innermost freedom they are looking for (Shalev, 2012).

Also, sleep patterns and activeness of inmates are influenced by sensory deprivation and solitary confinement making it hard for management to control the inmates due to their roughness, noise and fights in the cell. For example, solitary confinement results in various physiological symptoms such as extreme dizziness, sweaty nights, and chronic headaches which make the cell life tough. Following this, they tend to vandalize prison equipment, make noise, abuse the management or even fight back the guards (Breslow, 2014). Similarly, it may lead to a change in feeding patterns which wholly affects their healthy either leading to weight loss or death. For example, inmates placed under sensory deprivation and solitary confinement have problems with their eating patterns due to loss of appetite. Loss of appetite is followed by other complications such as indigestion

and diarrhea, insomnia and chronic lethargy. Following this, inmates tend to be rough against other inmates of the prison managements (Weir, 2012).

Furthermore, sensory deprivation and solitary confinement affect the emotional stability of the inmates leading to adverse emotional reflex. For example, inmates placed under the confinement are seen to have poor control of their impulse, completely hostile and easily irritable (Breslow, 2014). Following this, they acquire mood swings, withdrawal signs and hopelessness that end up influencing them to bang their head on the cell walls leading to unexpected death. Mental and maladjustment disorders aggregate immediately and individual spends about 23 hours in these confinement cells. For instance, most began by losing their concentration and memory ability, confusion and disorientation with space and time hence change in behaviour (Shalev, 2012).

Lastly, they experience a disruptive mode of thinking that makes it hard to cooperate with the prison management rules and regulation. Inmates under sensory deprivation suffer from an inability to have a coherent thought flow leading to illusions, intense paranoia and belief that they are wrongly persecuted and will have to suffer in the cells. Consequently, they try to kill themselves either through banging their head on the floor (Weir, 2012).

Summary

Based on the information presented, sensory deprivation and solitary confinement are two strategies used in prisons with the aim of changing a certain situation in the cells but end up resulting in unwanted behaviour. That is, they mainly result from psychological effects, depression and psychosis that makes the management of the prisons challenging (Shalev, 2012). Some of the behaviour observed with inmates as a result of sensory deprivation and solitary confinement include; abusiveness, stealing, vandalism of prison

property, fighting, self-harm, harassment and intimidation of other inmates, manipulation of prison staff and fashioning weapons (Weir, 2012). Therefore, the strategies are good at some point, though, they may end up raising a high number of mentally ill inmates who have a higher likelihood of committing severe harm to self and other inmates (Shalev, 2012).

Recommendation

Most of these unethical behaviours experienced with inmates are as a result of human rights violation by prison management. Therefore, the prison management must provide all the basic human needs as suggested by Abraham Maslow. Variously, they must conduct risk and needs assessment to ensure that the mental health of inmates is okay and that their needs are meet to ensure a safe and secure prison facility (Weir, 2012).
To that end, policies must be made to ensure that the human rights or inmates are met. More importantly, the prison management must devise innovative ways of dealing with unwanted behaviour in more effective and efficient manner. For example, inmates may be involved in casual works, socialization forums or normal education system that happens in the outer world. In so doing, they will help in calming down the mental disruption that originates from cell placements and isolation (Shalev, 2012).

Conclusion

As noted from the research, inmates under solitary confinement and sensory deprivation suffer from confused thoughts, concentration problems, hallucinations and other psychological that lead to the unwanted behaviour (Weir, 2012). Though most prison facilities use these strategies, there is a need to observe common human needs such as social interaction which are essential for normal human life. Therefore, to lower the unwanted behaviour, prison management must provide emotional, physical and social stimulation to inmates (Shalev,

2012).

References

• Breslow, J. M. (2014). What Does Solitary Confinement Do To Your Mind? FRONTLINE. Retrieved 15 March 2016, from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/what-does- solitary-confinement-do-to-your-mind/
• Weir, K. (2012). Alone, in ‘the hole’. http://www.apa.org. Retrieved 15 March 2016, from http://www.apa.org/monitor/2012/05/solitary.aspx
• Shalev, S. (2012). The health effects of solitary confinement. Solitary Confinement. Retrieved 15 March 2016, from http://solitaryconfinement.org/uploads/sourcebook_02.pdf