The Council for Exceptional Children, Division of Emotional and Behavioral Health’s Position Statement on Solitary Confinement

Joseph Calvin Gagnon,Sarup R Mathur,Lee Kern

doi:10.1177/01987429211063625

Joseph Calvin Gagnon, Sarup R Mathur + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.1177/01987429211063625

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Abstract

This document, from the Council for Exceptional Children, Division of Emotional and Behavioral Health (DEBH), provides clear and compelling support for the abolishment of solitary confinement with incarcerated youth and young adults in juvenile and adult correctional facilities. This is the first position statement from DEBH on the topic, and the information includes (a) a definition of solitary confinement, (b) discussion of its use, (c) an explanation of the impacts of solitary confinement on youth, (d) identification of systemic issues that perpetuate the use of solitary confinement, (e) an examination of U.S. laws concerning the use of solitary confinement, (f) a declaration of principles, and (g) recommendations for policy and practice.

Highlights

The solitary confinement of youth in U.S juvenile justice facilities (JJF; i.e., reception/diagnostic centers, detention centers, commitment facilities, shelters, group homes, boot camps, ranch/wilderness camps, transition facilities) and adult jails and prisons is a harmful practice that must be banned
There are four primary types of solitary confinement of youth: (a) disciplinary solitary confinement is used as a negative consequence if a youth violates facility rules, (b) protective isolation is used to safeguard a youth from other youths, (c) administrative isolation is used when a youth arrives at a new facility or when a youth is considered to be too disruptive for continued operation of the JJF, and (d) medical isolation is used to medically treat youth or if they are a suicide risk (Coler, 2021; see Note 2)
The modest application of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) in JJF was reported in a study by Gagnon and colleagues (2018), wherein they found that most JJF (83.2%) reported using a multi-tiered framework, questions regarding implementation of components aligned with PBIS indicated (a) infrequent use of proactive interventions; (b) continued reliance on punitive consequences, for youth with more serious behavioral needs; (c) limited organized planning concerning youth behavior across multiple years; and (d) insufficient staff training in behavioral and social-emotional health

Summary

Introduction

The solitary confinement of youth in U.S juvenile justice facilities (JJF; i.e., reception/diagnostic centers, detention centers, commitment facilities, shelters, group homes, boot camps, ranch/wilderness camps, transition facilities) and adult jails and prisons (see Note 1) is a harmful practice that must be banned. Incarcerated youth who are subjected to solitary confinement are deprived of human contact and social interaction, two critical experiences for adolescent development (Muir, 2017).

Results

Conclusion