The dehumanizing psychological toll of long-term solitary confinement
In short: Civil rights lawyer Laura Rovner explores the reality of supermax prisons, where inmates endure years of isolation in cells no larger than a bathroom. This talk examines how extreme solitude reshapes the human mind and personality.
Rovner visits ADX, the United States' only federal supermax prison, to document the profound effects of long-term solitary confinement. She describes a process of dehumanization where the lack of significant human contact for years or even decades erodes an individual's sense of self.
The talk argues that solitary confinement is a matter of public values and tax dollars. Rovner suggests that because prisons are administered on behalf of the public, there is a collective obligation to bear witness to these conditions and consider their impact on public safety.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Laura Rovner: What happens to people in solitary confinement
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