Since the 1980s, departments of corrections have sharply increased the use of segregation as a discipline and management tool. In effect, segregation is a secondary sentence imposed by the correctional facility—one that follows long after and usually is unrelated to the conviction for which the person is incarcerated. The consequences of holding an individual in these conditions over time may include new or exacerbated mental health disturbances, assaultive and other antisocial behaviors, and chronic and acute health disorders. In fact, studies show that prisoners who are released from segregation directly to the community reoffend at higher rates than general-population prisoners. Policy changes that will reduce the use and long-term impact of segregation will benefit not only the staff and prisoners in these units but also ultimately the well-being of facilities, systems, and the community.
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October 2011
Editorial|
October 01 2011
Prisons Within Prisons: The Use of Segregation in the United States
Angela Browne,
Angela Browne
Senior Policy Researcher, Vera Institute of Justice
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Alissa Cambier,
Alissa Cambier
Program Associate, Vera Institute of Justice
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Suzanne Agha
Suzanne Agha
Senior Research Associate, Vera Institute of Justice
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Federal Sentencing Reporter (2011) 24 (1): 46–49.
Citation
Angela Browne, Alissa Cambier, Suzanne Agha; Prisons Within Prisons: The Use of Segregation in the United States. Federal Sentencing Reporter 1 October 2011; 24 (1): 46–49. doi: https://doi.org/10.1525/fsr.2011.24.1.46
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