Psychiatric Effects of Solitary Confinement

PREFACE .......................................................................................327 I. OVERVIEW .......................................................................................327 II. SOLITARY CONFINEMENT CAN CAUSE SEVERE PSYCHIATRIC HARM .......................................................................................333 A. Solitary Confinement Can Cause a Specific Psychiatric Syndrome......................................................................... 333 1. The Specific Psychiatric Syndrome Associated with Solitary Confinement ................................................. 335 2. This Syndrome has the Characteristics of an Acute Organic Brain Syndrome—A Delirium ..................... 337 B. The Historical Experience with Solitary Confinement: The Nineteenth Century Experience................................ 338 1. The Origin of the American Penitentiary: The Nineteenth Century German Experience ................... 338 2. Psychological Effects of Severe Isolation.................. 341 C. The Twentieth Century Experience: Prisoners of War, “Brain Washing,” and Experimental Research .............. 343 1. Prisoners of War and “Brain Washing” ..................... 343 2. Experimental Research on Sensory Deprivation........ 345 D. Factors Effecting Response to Sensory Restriction and Solitary Confinement....................................................... 346 1. Differing Conditions of Isolation ............................... 346 2. The Perceived Intent of the Isolation Experience ...... 347 3. Individual Differences in Response ........................... 347