By now you have most likely heard that Albert Woodfox, a man placed in solitary confinement in Angola in 1972 for the killing of a prison guard has been ordered released, but his release is heing blocked by the attorney general of Louisiana, Buddy Caldwell. Albert Woodfox has been held in solitary confinement for over 40 years. Because humans are social animals, it seems highly likely that solitary confinement would have a significant impact on psychological health. You can watch a video and read about Albert Woodfox
here.
Solitary confinement is a practice that is also used with incarcerated teens. It may be especially damaging considering the importance of this period for brain maturation. Check out the
article in The Atlantic about the impact of Solitary on the Teen Brain.
