Solitary Confinement Is The Violation Of Rights Essay

Solitary confinement surpasses the violation of rights and reaches the level of torture as prolonged exposure to isolation can have irreversible effects. The United Nations, established following the end of World War II, attempted to form universal standards of human rights that would force accountability for each country. This charter was in direct response to the heinous crimes against targeted groups, especially those that were placed in concentration camps. While the U.N. does not specifically mention prisoners, it is clear that everyone is viewed as equal under the law (The United Nations, 1945). In 1948, the United Nations produced the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, in an effort to strive further for equality of rights. Article 5 in this legislation states, â€Å"No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment† (The United Nations, 1948). These documents did not have any legal consequences, but were globally viewed a s international law. By 1949, prisoners’ rights became a critical issue in the Geneva Conventions. In particular, the Geneva Convention Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War defined how prisoners of war should be treated in the same manner as civil prisoners, while outlining the human rights for all prisoners (The United Nations, 1949). Solitary confinement was viewed as legal, but used sparingly. It would take several decades and numerous studies on the effects of solitary confinement for globalShow MoreRelatedSocial Welfare Policy Reading Essay : Solitary Confinement Essay1663 Words   |  7 PagesSocial Welfare Policy Reading Essay: Solitary Confinement RaeLynn Barott Minnesota State University, Mankato September 26th, 2016 There have been various studies conducted over the past few decades that show the devastating consequences of the use of solitary confinement in prisons. 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