Link:https://america.cgtn.com/2019/11/01/us-activists-fight-controversial-policies-at-supermax-prison
Summary: Supermax, the high-security prison located in Colorado, is home to 400 prisoners. This prison is home to some of the most dangerous prisoners in the USA. The prisoners live in very small and sparse concrete cells by themselves. Most prisoners spend 23 hours of the day living in complete isolation in their cells. Supermax isn’t helping the prisoners with rehabilitation and is only punishing them by isolating them from human interactions.
Reaction: I am surprised that the prisoners in Supermax are stuck in a cell for 23 hours a day. I don’t understand why the prisoners are being treated poorly. I think that even though they are prisoners that it doesn’t help them to be isolated for long periods of time. I believe that they should have more time to interact with others which would help them to rehabilitate.
Connection to U.S History: In the 1800s there was the Prison and Mental Health movement, which was advocating for better treatment for the mentally ill and prisoners. This was also the beginning of the idea that prisons should help prisoners reform themselves instead of just punishing them.
Question: Do you think that isolating prisoners for 23 hours a day in Supermax is helpful to their reform? How do you think that Supermax can improve the conditions for the prisoners while still maintaining security?
Fyodor Dostoevsky, a Russian novelist and Philosopher, stated that, “The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons.” This story of just one of our criminal justice compounds shows us the appalling state of our civilization. Along with these horrific treatments of living thinking human beings in this particular prison, we see that our prisons are a systematic issue in this country. Our institution of prisons holds more individuals than any prison system. What is worse is that these cruel torments do almost nothing to prevent more crimes, as many who get out return to crime. Some of these institutions make it even more likely that the prisoners will return to prison, because convicted felons can find it near impossible to reenter society being that it is harder to going employment. Yes, many of these people in maximum security prisons are former rapists and murderers, but does that mean they are devoid of right to human dignity and utility towards society? No. These people continue to have use, and continue to have value. The prison system is meant to turn criminals into contributing civilians, but all it does is fester their bad natures and teach further cruelty. What system we should follow, could be modeled after the modern German prison system. In Germany, the prisons are engineered not punish prisoners but to rehabilitate them, by giving them job experience and teaching them how to reintegrate into society. These prisons give prisoners dignity, but also show them the errors of their ways. If America is to become civilized then it must learn how to reform those it has now seemed to give up on.
ReplyDeleteI would object to your comment that these people in supermax prison have utility towards society. You forget that this prison does house the worse criminals the US has. These people have proven that even in prison, they are dangerous. They have orchestrated murders, and fortered crime, not seen a few isolated incidents. Mostly people can change, but sometimes, the punishment has to fit the crime.
DeleteI think isolating these prisoners for the vast majority of their day does not help them change for the better, if anything, this severe isolation of prisoners can do more damage than good. Although prisons are meant to confine and punish the criminal for their crimes, torturing the prisoners with isolation is not the correct way to run a prison. That much isolation can break a person eventually, no matter how strong they are. In order to help prisoners become better people within the prison, they need to decrease isolation time and add more occupational and educational programs. This can still safely be done with an increase in guards and security all while changing the criminal for the better.
ReplyDeleteI don't think isolation is helpful to reform—in fact, quite the opposite. Isolation not only does physical harm, but mental harm as well. Isolation affects Circadian cycle, which affects the release of hormones, and can cause hallucinations as prisoners continue to mentally decay. Humans are social beings, and without even some small social interaction, the mental health of prisoners will deteriorate. Although these are the most dangerous criminals that have no chance of getting out, that doesn't mean we should treat them in an inhumane manner, and it shows how the prison system needs heavy reformation, because isolation isn't reformation, it's just torture.
ReplyDeleteI do not think putting prisoners by themselves in a room for 23 hours a day is good for them. Prisoners are people too, and the American prison system should be about reform and bettering these criminals, but instead they are treated like animals and put in isolation for 23 hours a day. Putting someone alone in a room will only make them worse, and we should focus on reforming their lives. I believe this prison can have them do work in the yard, or stuff like that, so they maintain their humanity and sanity, while highly increasing the amount of prison guards, can have them become more humane while keeping them in the prison and keeping everyone safe.
ReplyDeleteComplete isolation is very dangerous for mental health. While I have no doubt that these prisoners were placed in isolation because of their heinous crimes, other methods to reform these prisoners are probably far more effective and humane, such as labor. Isolation seems like the lazy, low-maintenance approach to managing a prison, and often results in inmates losing their sanity. Many of these criminals are likely serving life sentences - it seems more logical for them to spend their time productively than in isolation, where their minds and humanity will slowly deteriorate.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you. I think that it is very dangerous for their mental health. I would probably lose my mind if I was just in a room for 23 hours a day. It would make sense if the prisoners would lose their sanity over time.
DeleteI understand that placing them in isolation is to prevent further violence and a punishment to their commitment of crimes. But I don't think this punishment will help them repent and this lack of human interactions is likely to give more hatred to them, isolation is also not a proper treatment to the prisoners, it is going to deteriorate their mental health and physical health. I think a more effective way to manage a prison is to have more activities and education for the prisoners at the same time ensure safety and secure.
ReplyDeleteI don't think spending 23 hours a day in isolation would be helpful to these prisoners. Even though I'm sure they've done despicable things to others, they can't get better by themselves. For the prisoners who are open to it, a psychotherapist could come in and talk with them. Isolation is definitely not the answer if we want these prisoners to get better.
ReplyDeleteDespite the prisoners being dangerous, I think that 23 hours of isolation a day is excessive. That much isolation likely causes the prisoners to go insane rather than reflect on their actions. Allowing the prisoners to get outside and interact with each other while playing sports or exercising would be beneficial and allowing them access to reading would be more beneficial than sitting inside of a cell.
ReplyDeleteAlthough the prisoners committed dangerous crimes and may be dangerous people, isolation is not beneficial to helping them get better. Even though it may be seen as a form of punishment, prison itself is enough of a punishment on its own. Being stuck in a box for 23 hours a day is inhumane. They should have outdoor time and be able to interact with other people.
ReplyDeleteIsolating prisoners for 23 hours will not be helpful to their reform. As the website states, isolation is really damaging to a person since people need contact and something to think about. Psychological damage won't repair or help a person change for the better, it will just lead to the prisoner getting worse. Supermax can improve the condition of their prisoners by expanding the number of hours their inmates have to talk with someone else whether that be just a guard or warden, maybe even have something for them to play with that couldn't be used to breach security.
ReplyDeleteI think 23 hours of isolation everyday is a bit excessive. Even the most dangerous criminals are still human, and a box of confinement wouldn't rehabilitate them into becoming a better person. Instead, they should be able to have the chance to go outdoors and interact with other prisoners (in a good way). They should also be able to feel like their at home with recreational activities, such as exercising, playing video games, eating, etc. This option would definitely be better than confinement, which would increase the prisoners' morale and their "" health.
ReplyDelete23 hour isolation is not beneficial to rehabilitating prisoners, if anything it might make it worse. I think that isolation may leave prisoners irate. Isolation for such long periods of time is psychologically draining for people and can harm someone's character. This form of punishment is excessive, unreasonable, and can be harmful in the long run, which is the opposite of the rehabilitation goal that the Supermax prison is aiming for.
ReplyDeleteIn high security prisons such as Supermax, prisoners should be given more than 1 hour outside their cell. If authorities are concerned that allowing more than 1 hour will give prisoners more opportunity interact with other inmates and plot to escape, the prison should rely on their high security policies.I also think that isolating criminals for 23 hours will deteriorate their mental health when he goal of prisons should be not only to protect society from dangerous people and punish them, but to help rehabilitate criminals.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that 23 hours of isolation is necessary because it just punishes prisoners rather than trying to reform and help them. On the other hand, as harsh as it sounds, they are in prison for a reason, and it is home to some of the most dangerous prisoners of the US. Even though keeping them isolated for 23 hours is morally wrong, that could be what it takes to keep many others safe.
ReplyDeleteI don't think this type of jail housing is benefitting anyone. The family members of people who the criminal hurt do not get solace and it most likely provides no help moving past the event. As a society, I believe we can't stoop down to the criminal's level and allow these Supermax prisons to prosper.
ReplyDeleteI don't think isolating someone is helping them in any way. The only thing you get when you isolate someone for a long period of time is mental illnesses. This prison should focus on helping its' members try to feel like a part of society by letting them socialize with others and trust that their security is strong enough that no prisoners are plotting to escape.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe that leaving prisoners in isolation for 23 hours a day does anything to help them reform. Having little to no human interactions could cause a mental illness that would stop make their lives even worse and lead them farther from rehabilitation. To improve they should just let the prisoners have more time and make sure that their security is good enough to control their prison.
ReplyDeleteI think while the harsh punishment for these prisoners will help in deterring some acts of crime, prisons should be more so a place of rehabilitation rather than punishment, as expressed by the early ideas of the Antebellum Reforms. Intense isolation is severely damaging to individuals, as humans have evolved to be social animals and this treatment can be considered a form of torture. In my opinion, there is no point in prison if criminals are merely locked away to suffer rather than becoming morally better people, and just because they are deprived of their freedom doesn't make up for their actions while free.
ReplyDeleteI don’t think that isolating prisoners in a supermax cell for 23 hours is helpful at all. Even if someone is highly dangerous, locking them up isn’t going to help, if anything it makes their situation worse as they’re only left with their thoughts, and their thoughts are most likely tainted with a terrible mindset. Maybe they could make it so they still come out of their cells for certain activities like eating to have a little bit more socialization. Any socialization at all would be better than none, as long as it’s helpful.
ReplyDeleteI think that complete isolation is extremely hazardous to mental health. Even if these prisoners have been kept in isolation for their atrocious crimes, other ways of transforming these prisoners are likely to be far more successful and humane, such as rehabilitation and community service. Isolation is a low-maintenance way to manage a prison and often contributes to a lack of mental fitness for the prisoners. We should instead try to implement more humane and beneficial solutions, so that the prisoners don't get re-incarcerated after release.
ReplyDelete