1 | Introduction 1.1 What is the Sourcebook about? Isolation, segregation, separation, cellular or solitary confinement are some of the terms used to describe a form of confinement where prisoners are held alone in their cell for up to 24 hours a day, and are only allowed to leave it, if at all, for an hour or so of outdoor exercise. Solitary confinement may be imposed on prisoners as short-term punishment for prison offences, or indefinitely for the prisoner’s own protection, either at his request or at the discretion of the prison authorities. In other cases prisoners may be isolated from others for months and even years on administrative grounds: as a long-term strategy for managing challenging prisoners or where prisoners are deemed to be a threat to national security. Finally, pre-charge and pre-trial detainees may be isolated from others whilst their interrogation or the investigation into their case is ongoing. This Sourcebook provides a single reference point for those concerned with the practice of solitary confinement, particularly when it is imposed for prolonged periods of time. Its purpose is to a) inform prison operational staff, health professionals, and policy makers of the human rights position regarding solitary confinement, of ethical and professional standards and codes of practice relating to prisoner isolation, and of research findings on the health effects of solitary confinement, and b) propose safeguards and best practice in light of the above. More broadly, it aims to raise awareness of the potential consequences of prolonged solitary confinement. The basic premise in compiling this Sourcebook is that prolonged solitary confinement is inherently damaging and is not good practice. It should only be used as a last resort and be reserved for a handful of the most extreme cases. In the few cases where solitary confinement may be exceptionally and absolutely necessary, it should only be used for the shortest possible time, and be managed within established guidelines and strict safeguards. By extension, prison regimes which are entirely constructed around a solitary confinement model cannot but be damaging to prisoners and run contrary to principles of rehabilitation and social reintegration. While prison authorities may sometimes need to resort to short term disciplinary segregation, it must, again, only be as a last resort and managed within strict safeguards. The use of solitary confinement as a means of coercing a ‘confession’ or as means of ‘softening up’ detainees for interrogation must be prohibited under all circumstances. 1.2 How is the Sourcebook structured? The rest of this chapter addresses issues of definition, provides the historic context for the use of solitary confinement, and sets out the legal and regulatory framework for the operation of prisons and the treatment of prisoners. Chapter Two examines the documented health effects of solitary confinement, both physical and psychological, and attempts to understand what makes solitary confinement damaging. Chapter Three examines the different roles of solitary confinement in Sourcebook on solitary confinement: Introduction 1