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Objectives: To evaluate whether a history of incarceration was associated with increased odds of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts, and to determine if this association was further strengthened when combined with a history of solitary confinement. Methods: We collected cross-sectional data from a general population sample in New York City and Baltimore in March 2017. Participants were categorized based on their history of incarceration and solitary confinement: (1) no incarceration, (2) incarceration-only, and (3) incarceration plus solitary confinement. We compared these three groups, utilizing hierarchical adjustments for sociodemographic factors and adverse childhood experiences. Missing data were accounted for utilizing multiple imputation via chained equation. Results: A total of 1221 individuals were analyzed. Those who experienced both incarceration and solitary confinement consistently had higher odds of suicidal ideation (OR, 2.80; 95% CI, 1.43 to 5.48) and suicide attempts (OR, 6.98; 95% CI, 2.77 to 17.61) than never incarcerated individuals. Those who experienced incarceration without solitary confinement had higher odds of suicide attempts (OR, 3.77; 95% CI, 1.35 to 10.56) than never incarcerated individuals, whereas this association was not evident for suicidal ideation. Solitary confinement increased the odds of suicidal ideation even compared to incarceration without solitary confinement (OR, 2.71; 95% CI, 1.09 to 6.74). Conclusions: Our findings support the need to address the higher likelihood of suicide-related outcomes among those in contact with the criminal justice system, and to consider alternatives to solitary confinement. HIGHLIGHTS: Those who experienced both incarceration and solitary confinement had higher odds of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts than never incarcerated individuals. Solitary confinement increased the likelihood of suicidal ideation, even more so than incarceration without solitary confinement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the harrowing experiences of Vladimir Kara-Murza, a Russian opposition activist, during his imprisonment and after his release. Topics include the psychological and moral impact of prolonged solitary confinement, the emotional toll on political prisoners' families, and the necessity of human communication and support for those enduring such conditions.

Amir Ahmadi Arian is well known to readers of The New York Times, Harper's, New York Review of Books, Paris Review, and London Review of Books. Though he began as a successful writer in Iran, writing in Farsi, by 2010 the Iranian authorities had banned three of his books, and shuttered the publishing house and newspaper where he worked. He emigrated first to Australia (2014) and then New York (2018) writing now in English and becoming, for anglophone readers, a vital source of news about Iran. In this interview, the topic is Arian's first English-language novel, Then the Fish Swallowed Him, a fictional account of the arrest, torture, and interrogation of a Tehran public bus driver, whom the Iranian authorities implausibly frame as the mastermind of revolutionary opposition to the Islamic Republic of Iran. The interview examines the coincidence in the novel of interrogation, dramatic dialogue, and traditional literary interviews. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the 1960s, inmate litigation has continually evolved by challenging conditions of confinement, lack of due process, and treatment by correctional administrators. One such condition of confinement that has received judicial scrutiny is solitary confinement, but there is sparse research examining solitary confinement practices and conditions through what has been one of the predominant forms of correctional change – inmate litigation and judicial intervention. In the current study, we examined Section 1983 lawsuits across six states, that were decided from 2015 to 2020, in which inmates alleged they experienced constitutional violation(s) during their time spent in solitary confinement. The findings showed that most lawsuits were unsuccessful due to failure to establish a constitutional claim or provide sufficient evidence to overcome a defendant's qualified immunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Children in custodial settings are a vulnerable group. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic there were concerns about the safety of children in these settings. COVID-19 has had an impact on everyone but given the vulnerability of children in custody, there were concerns about the impact of COVID-19 restrictions. All custody settings for children are independently inspected and this research aimed to analyse data from inspection reports. Twenty-six inspection reports undertaken between March 2020 and October 2021 were analysed to understand the impact of COVID-19 on delivery of usual care/regime. Results: Data showed that across all site's children spent considerable amounts of time isolated and in some cases, this was deemed to amount to solitary confinement. There was evidence of some positive experiences, in the smaller sites, around COVID-19 slowing the pace of life allowing staff and children could foster relationships. However, in the larger sites, isolation was extreme and COVID-19 policies such as 'bubbles' appear to have created unintended consequences as sites have moved into recovery, leading to increased violence and stress. COVID-19 directly impacted staffing levels. This and the COVID-19 policies to reduce mixing also had an impact on how children's behaviour, welfare and safeguarding was managed. In some larger sites, being COVID-19 secure was prioritised over the needs of the children. Conclusions: This research highlights the importance of multi-site longitudinal research to understand how children, staff and institution's function. The experiences of children in custody during COVID-19 differed by site type. The research suggests that the larger sites are struggling to keep children safe and there should be a shift towards smaller, more therapeutic environments. More research is needed to understand the longer-term unintended consequences of COVID-19 policy in custody, for these vulnerable children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Suicide rates are higher in prison than in the general population in most countries. The proximity of some suicides to prison events has only received little attention in comparative studies. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between suicide and four prison events: conviction, disciplinary solitary confinement, nondisciplinary solitary confinement and inter‐prison transfer, in a national retrospective cohort study of people in prison. Methods: All incarcerations in France that occurred during 2017–2020 were eligible. Data were collected from an administrative database of the National Prison Service. Survival bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed with a Cox regression model. Results: Of 358,522 incarcerations were included, among which 469,348 events and 449 suicides occurred. In multivariate analysis, suicide risk was higher the first day of disciplinary solitary confinement (HR = 42.1 [21.5–82.7] and HR = 119.0 [71.5–197.9], before and after a government decree on the disciplinary system, respectively. It was higher within 2 weeks after a transfer (HR = 3.5 [2.3–5.2])) or entry in nondisciplinary solitary confinement (HR = 6.7 [3.4–13.3]) and lower within 2 weeks after a conviction (HR = 0.6 [0.4–1.0]). Conclusion: Solitary confinement and transfer were found to be precipitating factors of suicide in people who are incarcerated. These results offer interesting perspectives on prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following a recent study of disparities in solitary confinement (SC) placements in Florida, we examined related dis-parities in the use of extended restrictive housing in Ohio (SC conditions) while expanding the analysis to short term restrictive housing, a substantially more common prison experience. Analyses of 183,872 incarcerated persons (IPs) revealed substantive disparities in prevalence and incidence of placements in both short- and long-term restrictive housing (RH). Controlling for types of rule violations and other risk indicators, disparities emerged based on an IP's sex, age, race, education, learning skills, substance abuse risk, and mental health. Many findings are consistent with the Florida study and extend to the more routine short term RH. Similar studies will be critical for generating a body of knowledge that may demonstrate the same types and levels of RH disparities regardless of prison system, contributing greatly to RH policy debates and critical criminological perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much is unknown about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the carceral experience. Firsthand accounts, however, can illuminate how the virus traveled through correctional institutions and how operational changes intended to mitigate virus transmission altered daily life for incarcerated people. Analyzing semi-structured interviews with 53 individuals released from state prisons, county jails, and halfway houses in a northeastern U.S. state between October 2020 and June 2021, this study explores the shifting conditions of confinement in the early months of the pandemic, as well as how incarcerated individuals experienced the pandemic in terms of their mental and physical health, safety, and trust in correctional institutions. Interviewees described the spread of COVID-19 in correctional environments and how it led to several pandemic-related changes, such as stoppages or adjustments to programs, visits, recreation time, and movement around the facility. The data ultimately suggest that pandemic lockdown measures, instituted to prevent virus transmission, led to environments akin to solitary confinement and compromised the ability of incarcerated individuals to connect with loved ones, exacerbated their fears about contracting the virus, and further eroded their trust in correctional institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses an uncollected letter from John Galsworthy to Charles Masterman in 1909, where Galsworthy highlights the inhumane conditions of solitary confinement in prisons based on his visits to Lewes and Chelmsford prisons. Galsworthy advocates for penal reform, emphasizing the need to move away from closed-cell confinement and reduce separation periods for prisoners. The letter sheds light on Galsworthy's consistent advocacy for a more humane approach to incarceration and his contributions to the humanitarian prison reform movement, enriching scholarly discourse on the topic. [Extracted from the article]

Abstract Background Criminalization of drugs in the United States (US) has extensive consequences for people who use drugs (PWUD). Incarceration and substance use overlap with 65% of the US prison population meeting substance use disorder (SUD) criteria. Exposure to the criminal-legal system negatively impacts the health of PWUD. PTSD is commonly comorbid with SUDs, and exposure to restrictive housing (RH) during incarceration may worsen mental health. Because PWUD are disproportionately incarcerated, experiences occurring during incarceration, such as RH, may contribute to the development or exacerbation of PTSD and SUDs. This study of PWUD investigated prior criminal-legal system exposure and its association with PTSD symptoms in community-dwelling PWUD. Methods This cross-sectional study recruited PWUD from syringe service programs (SSP). Inclusion criteria were: age 18+, current or past opioid use disorder, and SSP enrollment. Data collected included: sociodemographics; incarceration, substance use, SUD treatment history, and PTSD assessments (Life Events Checklist for DSM-5 and the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5). Bivariate testing and multivariate logistic regression analyses, with probable PTSD as the dependent variable and a three-level variable for criminal legal history as the independent variable, were conducted to determine whether incarceration and RH were associated with probable PTSD. Results Of 139 participants, 78% had an incarceration history with 57% of these having a history of RH. 57% of participants screened positive for probable PTSD, and physical assault was the most common traumatic exposure. Any history of incarceration was not associated with probable PTSD diagnosis; however, in multivariate testing, adjusting for age, sex, and substance use, a history of RH (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 3.76, 95% CI 1.27–11.11) was significantly associated with probable PTSD. Conclusions RH and PTSD were both exceptionally common in a sample of SSP participants. RH can be detrimental to physical and mental health. Clinicians and policy makers may not consider incarceration as a traumatic experience for PWUD; however, our data suggest that among highly marginalized PWUD, prior exposure to incarceration and RH may add an additional burden to their daily struggles, namely PTSD.

Background: Criminalization of drugs in the United States (US) has extensive consequences for people who use drugs (PWUD). Incarceration and substance use overlap with 65% of the US prison population meeting substance use disorder (SUD) criteria. Exposure to the criminal-legal system negatively impacts the health of PWUD. PTSD is commonly comorbid with SUDs, and exposure to restrictive housing (RH) during incarceration may worsen mental health. Because PWUD are disproportionately incarcerated, experiences occurring during incarceration, such as RH, may contribute to the development or exacerbation of PTSD and SUDs. This study of PWUD investigated prior criminal-legal system exposure and its association with PTSD symptoms in community-dwelling PWUD. Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited PWUD from syringe service programs (SSP). Inclusion criteria were: age 18+, current or past opioid use disorder, and SSP enrollment. Data collected included: sociodemographics; incarceration, substance use, SUD treatment history, and PTSD assessments (Life Events Checklist for DSM-5 and the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5). Bivariate testing and multivariate logistic regression analyses, with probable PTSD as the dependent variable and a three-level variable for criminal legal history as the independent variable, were conducted to determine whether incarceration and RH were associated with probable PTSD. Results: Of 139 participants, 78% had an incarceration history with 57% of these having a history of RH. 57% of participants screened positive for probable PTSD, and physical assault was the most common traumatic exposure. Any history of incarceration was not associated with probable PTSD diagnosis; however, in multivariate testing, adjusting for age, sex, and substance use, a history of RH (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 3.76, 95% CI 1.27–11.11) was significantly associated with probable PTSD. Conclusions: RH and PTSD were both exceptionally common in a sample of SSP participants. RH can be detrimental to physical and mental health. Clinicians and policy makers may not consider incarceration as a traumatic experience for PWUD; however, our data suggest that among highly marginalized PWUD, prior exposure to incarceration and RH may add an additional burden to their daily struggles, namely PTSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the millions of people incarcerated in United States' prisons and jails during the COVID-19 pandemic, isolation took many forms, including medical isolation for those sick with COVID-19, quarantine for those potentially exposed, and prolonged facility-wide lockdowns. Incarcerated people's lived experience of isolation during the pandemic has largely gone undocumented. Through interviews with 48 incarcerated people and 27 staff at two jails and one prison in geographically diverse locations in the United States, we document the implementation of COVID-19 isolation policies from the perspective of those that live and work in carceral settings. Incarcerated people were isolated from social contact, educational programs, employment, and recreation, and lacked clear communication about COVID-19-related protocols. Being isolated, no matter the reason, felt like punishment and was compared to solitary confinement—with resultant long-term, negative impacts on health. Participants detailed isolation policies as disruptive, detrimental to mental health, and dehumanizing for incarcerated people. Findings point to several recommendations for isolation policy in carceral settings. These include integrating healthcare delivery into isolation protocols, preserving social relationships during isolation, promoting bidirectional communication about protocols and their effect between facility leadership and incarcerated people. Most importantly, there is an urgent need to re-evaluate the current approach to the use of isolation in carceral settings and to establish external oversight procedures for its use during pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay challenges solitary confinement in immigration prisons and examines how solitary confinement is an extrajudicial segregation designed by courts and congressional plenary power. Topics discussed include evolution of immigration prisons that led to solitary confinement, state claims against private officials, Section 1983 claims for violations of Fifth, Eighth and 14th amendment rights, federal tort claims, habeas and international law claims, and harm-reduction legislative options.

Prior work on extended restrictive housing (ERH) has focused primarily on incarcerated persons rather than on potential impacts of this housing on personnel. Drawing on scholarship on the get-tough era, prison personnel, and ERH, we seek to shed light on contemporary correctional management practices and how doing so can illuminate the broad-ranging impacts of the get-tough era. We hypothesize that operational and organizational stressors differ for ERH personnel and may contribute to greater stress and adversely affect their mental and physical health. After presenting analyses from a mixed-methods study of Florida prisons, we discuss implications of the results for research and policy. We conclude that the get-tough era has led to harms, such as negative effects for personnel, that extend beyond those who are punished to those who play a role in systems of punishment and that have implications for understanding and addressing prison system safety and order. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In contemporary American corrections, extended solitary confinement (ESM) as a management tool has emerged as a strategy for avowedly controlling the most violent individuals and, in so doing, creating a safer prison system. We theorize that the emergence of this unique form of housing may also be viewed as a signal of prison system failure. To advance this argument, we identify how different theoretical perspectives can be used to anticipate the effects of ESM on prison system violence and order and then investigate the plausibility of this account by grounding it in analysis of qualitative data from a study of one state's prison system. The analysis suggests theoretical and empirical warrant for both views of ESM—as an effective tool and as a symptom of system failure. Implications of the study research and policy are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The continuous perpetration of unjustified harms by the carceral state through its use of solitary confinement justifies the creation of a novel process of automatic sentence review. This process is necessary to account for such state-perpetrated harms and communicate censure more accurately. This article proposes the use of a communicative theory of punishment developed in sentencing to characterise and account for the state's wrongdoing and harms in the context of a sentence that involves solitary confinement. Specifically, it outlines a justification for an automatic review process of the offender's carceral sentence based on an expanded and relational understanding of censure developed in the literature and proposes a two-step process to implement this review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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