Studies show that 2/3 of American juvenile prisoners suffer from a mental illness. They also demonstrate that just 15 days of isolation can cause serious and irreversible psychological damage. Most adolescents placed in solitary confinement may remain in solitary confinement for weeks or years at a time. The Youth Detention Center, also known as Juvenile Hall, is a secure facility for juvenile juveniles who have committed crimes ranging from robberies to drug possession. Within this American justice system, one way to maintain peace in prisons is through solitary confinement. Solitary confinement is the isolation of prisoners in closed cells for 22 hours a day without human contact. This is also called prison segregation. Many of those subjected to solitary confinement are often placed there because they require protection, have unfavorable political beliefs, are gay or transgender, or suffer from an untreated mental disorder. These prisoners can be held in these circumstances for days, weeks or even years. Human beings are required to have contact with other human beings to grow and develop appropriately. By placing adolescents in this environment, the U.S. criminal justice system is working against itself. These children are not adequately rehabilitated to be prepared to enter the real world as effective and productive members of society. Solitary confinement for adolescents is cruel and unnecessary punishment that goes against basic human needs and can cause extreme psychological distress. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Teens in solitary confinement are a cruel form of punishment. Solitary confinement was a way to separate adult prisoners from others. Adolescents, who are not seen as adults, are placed in solitary confinement. In fact, “approximately 100,000 juveniles were detained in adult prisons and jails” (Chuck 1). Society views adolescents as very different from adults, so much so that they are held to different and separate standards. Their minds and privileges are different and yet, when they commit a crime, they are seen exactly the same. Therefore, solitary confinement is an unnecessary punishment for adolescents because they are being subjected to a form of punishment reserved for adults. Solitary confinement is also primarily used to protect the inmate due to aspects of their personality. By isolating them, there is a hint of desperation. The system is teaching inmates that being who they are is something to be punished for. Isolation can also lead to many mental disorders which can be created in the process of being placed there or can be developed from the trauma of the event. Being able to configure this type of disorder constitutes a cruel and unusual punishment. The United States should not oppose adolescent rehabilitation but rather promote adolescent health and maintenance. Regardless of gender, religion, nationality, race or language, all human beings have basic necessities. Human contact is a necessity that accompanies normal human growth and isolation limits the minor's contact with others. In a report by the American Civil Liberties Union, they analyzed that “because young people are still developing, traumatic experiences such as isolation can have a profound effect on their ability to rehabilitate and grow” (Devorsky 1). By isolating adolescents from the rest of the world for 22 hours a day, without any human contact, they are now no longer receiving the medical, psychological, developmental and social needs of these adolescents. Teenagersthey are now forced to have no real life experience with other members of society. They do not have access to be part of the social culture around them. Nancy Shute held an interview with a neuroscientist named John Cacioppo who further explains that "Just like hunger, thirst, and pain, loneliness signals something important to the survival of our genes: the need for connection with other individuals" (1). As humans, young people need social interaction. They need to have that sense of belonging and to keep up with relationships so as not to fall into a state of depression and helplessness. By simply receiving a connection with another human being, it becomes more difficult for the young person to distance himself from the crowd. Allowing contact and connection with others helps reduce feelings of isolation. Solitary confinement maintains walls between inmates and the world for years at a time. Inmates are not given the chance to grow or the opportunity to do so, so not receiving rehabilitation won't help anyone in the long run. Adolescents can acquire or worsen mental disorders if placed in solitary confinement. These inmates are forced to lock themselves in a room for most of the day and the only human contact is when the officer introduces meals. An advocacy group called Architects, Designers, and Planners for Social Responsibility states that “many if not most people in solitary confinement suffered from a mental illness prior to their solitary placement” (United States: Teens in Solitary Confinement 1). During solitary confinement, many prisoners do not receive the minimum care required by an adolescent. Depriving people of this care can further deteriorate the minds of these adolescents, which leads to the intensification of their mental illnesses. However, the few who go into solitary confinement without a mental disorder tend to come out having adopted one. Teenagers are already in such a vulnerable state and by putting them in a cell with hours of nothing but their own thoughts, they will soon become one of the not many. more. Many develop anxiety, depression, anger, insomnia, irrational thoughts, paranoia and, in the worst cases, think about or practice self-harm. This self-harm in prisoners increases to the point of suicide attempts. Laura Dimon writes about a study in which they “noted that among suicides in juvenile institutions, half of the victims were in solitary confinement at the time they took their lives” (1). As stated earlier, some inmates are placed in solitary confinement due to their mental disorders and sometimes even for reasons of suicide. Solitary confinement is supposed to be a place of “protection,” yet most of the suicides committed occurred while under this control. While adults subjected to solitary confinement can develop mental disorders, the impact this has on young people and adolescents is more than far-reaching. Contracting a mental disorder can hinder their daily life. The disorder can affect the way the inmate thinks, feels and behaves. They can have lasting effects that can make it difficult for prisoners to move on with their lives. Part of society is okay with solitary confinement as a form of punishment for teenagers. One argument is that separating these prisoners from society is an effective way to maintain peace within the prison. Gary DeLands, director of prison operations in Utah, explains that if officers know that an inmate may cause danger to any other inmate or staff, it is essential that the officer takes reasonable action. He goes on to argue that solitary confinement is an accepted way to keep everyone safe in prison (1). However, in doing so, the system does not allow the inmate to fully grow into a productive member.