• Question: should solitary confinement be abolished due to its negative effects on the brain or do you believe it is a necessary form of punishment to keep prisoners in order?

    Asked by anon-203771 to Dawn, Alexandra on 5 Mar 2019.
    • Photo: Dawn Rose

      Dawn Rose answered on 5 Mar 2019: last edited 5 Mar 2019 5:18 pm


      Hmmm, that’s an interesting question. I mean people can choose to damage their bodies and minds in many ways freely, but it should it be inflicted by the state? It is essentially psychological torture isn’t it. But then what is other people need protecting from that person – what about their rights?

      I know this might not be the answer you are looking for, but this is essentially what being a scientist is like – you have to look at a question from many angles, read up about it, try and test a hypothesis and then that normally leads to further questions.

      So, my answer is that I would need to do some more research first, but if pushed to decide I would say not abolished but certainly only used when no other options are available to protect other people who might be harmed otherwise.

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