JUVENILE SOLITARY CONFINEMENT AS A FORM OF CHILD ABUSE

Abstract

Juvenile solitary confinement is a harmful and common tactic that leads to devastating, long-lasting effects and should be considered a form of child abuse. The practice of solitary confinement includes complete social isolation, lack of education materials, reduced physical activity, and total loss of autonomy. It is a direct contradiction to the intended goal of the juvenile justice system: rehabilitation. Survivor accounts and studies show how destructive the physical and psychological effects of confinement can be during and after solitary confinement. The practice is ethically wrong and legally problematic and should be banned immediately. It comes down to the idea that if a parent or guardian were to commit these same acts they would be charged with a crime, so why is it justified in juvenile facilities? This thesis gathers evidence to support the argument that the solitary confinement of youth should be considered a form of child abuse and advocates for immediate policy changes and alternatives for the solitary confinement of youth.