Protesters and the United Nations call solitary confinement torture.

Protesters and the United Nations call solitary confinement torture.
Photo Credit: Mike Groll/AP Photo

Doctors call for an end to solitary confinement

The College of Family Physicians of Canada is calling for an end to the solitary confinement of prisoners. It defines this as “any confinement of prisoners for 22 hours or more a day without meaningful human contact, and with limited or no access to rehabilitative programs.”

The United Nations considers any solitary confinement over 15 day to be torture and says that negative consequences of sensory deprivation can be seen as early as in 48 hours.

Isolation not effective for discipline

The college, which represents 35,000 family doctors, say isolation is particularly inappropriate for youth and inmates with medical problems or mental health illnesses. It also notes solitary confinement should not be used for discipline because evidence show it is not effective and there are better options.

The prison ombudsman has already flagged dramatic overuse of isolation in Canadian prisons and the current government has promised change.

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