The US has for years been the world’s biggest jailer. Now prison watchdogs are highlighting the widespread use of solitary confinement, warning about the physical and mental toll that the practice exerts on inmates. … In this episode of The Stream, we ask why so many people in US prisons and jails face protracted spells without meaningful human contact and look at efforts to challenge the practice. We are joined by … Keramet Reiter, professor, University of California, Irvine.

For the full story, please visit https://www.aljazeera.com/program/the-stream/2023/7/12/why-is-solitary-confinement-in-us-prisons-so-routine.