-19 2.1.1.Solitary confinement as a disciplinary punishment and banalization of the measure Solitary confinement is used as the most severe disciplinary punishment to be used as a last resort. In practice, however, this is often not the case. The maximum duration of solitary confinement for disciplinary reasons changes drastically between countries. Many countries have set the limit well beyond the 15 days prescribed by international standards. In this and other cases, there is a problem of standardisation and the banalization of isolation, which lead to its systematic use and a failure to look for alternatives. 2.1.2. Court-imposed solitary confinement Solitary confinement can be imposed by a court decision either in the case of pre-trial isolation, or isolation as part of prison sentence. The isolation of remand detainees is usually applied in order to protect the undergoing investigation. In some countries, the placement of a pre-trial detainee in isolation was almost automatic, but in the last few years, several countries are taking steps to address this problem, and reduce the use of pre-trial isolation. The isolation of prisoners as part of a sentence is also an issue of concern, because it now accepted that prison detention is the punishment. Isolation constitutes a further punishment that violates the principle that states that detainees are sent to prison as a punishment, and not to receive a punishment. Furthermore, the isolation of detainees should never be decided on the basis of the crime they committed. 2.1.3. Solitary confinement as an administrative tool Solitary confinement can also be used as an administrative tool for preventive purposes. The aim of such confinement is to manage the so-called dangerous detainees who present, according to the prison administration, a very serious risk to the safety or security of the prison. Some European states began to use “small group isolation”, which is a form of imprisonment used to manage particularly dangerous or high-risk prisoners. Usually, detainees under this form of imprisonment are confined in isolation in their cells. Only during their outdoor time are they allowed to associate with one or two other Monitoring Solitary Confinement in Prison