Restricting Solitary Confinement to

Improve Mental Health Outcomes

of Prisoners
Policy Overview Problem Analysis
7
Freed prisoners suicide rate in the US:
House Bill 1087 seeks to restrict the use of
solitary confinement in prisons to use solely for 1 every 2 days
emergency, medical isolation, or self-voluntary Prisoners who experience solitary confinement also have
8
reasons in hopes to: an increased risk of premature death after release
5

Reduce the harm created by solitary

confinement
Annual Spending per Prisoner:
3

Improve health outcomes for incarcerated

individuals
$25,000 vs. $127,671
600 inmates currently United States Norway
subjected to solitary Other countries such as Norway invest more capital into their
prison system leading to:
3

confinement in WA State 1

Increased employment rates after release

Decreased tension between guards and inmates
Decreased rate of recidivism

Economic Impact
A year in solitary confinement in the United States costs
an average of $75,000 per prisoner, which is: 15

Policy Analysis 3x the average annual cost of incarceration

for general population inmates 15
the average annual cost of public
8x university tuition
15

The Total Fiscal Impact Report for HB 1087 estimates

45% reduction in self harm/suicide attempts 2 cost of implementation to be $98,018,000 between the
years 2023 and 2029. This includes 175.5 FTE custody
Throughout the course of “Safe Prisons, Safe staff members and 89.0 FTE health services staff
Communities: From Isolation to Dignity and members. 6
Wellness Behind Bars” project between the DOC

Social Impact
and Vera Institute of Justice (similar measures
for solitary confinement to that of HB 1087).
Data showed 57% reduction in serious staff
assaults and 45% reduction in self-harm/suicide Similar bills passed recently in Washington include: HB 1312: 2021-
attempts over the course of the project. 2 22 (restricting use of solitary confinement), and HB 2277: 2020

(prohibits use of solitary confinement in juvenile facilities).
11% recidivism rate reduction in Washington Interviews with DOC staff reported “less day-to-day violence and
10
after transition plan implementation more person-to-person humanity” as a result of DOC reform
efforts to reduce the use of solitary confinement over the past 15
A retrospective research study from the years. 16
University of Washington found that within the A meta-analysis related to the mental health impacts of solitary
state, implementation of a transition plan confinement concluded that, “solitary confinement is associated
brought elevated recidivism rates for individuals with psychological deterioration...this effect appears to be beyond
placed in solitary confinement (53%) back down that of general incarceration or presence of prior mental illness”. 11
10
to that of the general prison population (42%). This Bill may decrease mental health issues and suicidal ideations
for those who have experienced solitary confinement. 4
 Policy
Ethical Impacts
Recommendations
HB 1087 could significantly improve the mental The policy adheres to the ethical principle of autonomy:
health outcomes of prisoners who have previously
Prisoner has personal choice to request solitary
or are currently in solitary confinement. We urge 8
confinement
Washington state legislators to implement this bill
Prisoner can revoke their decision at any time 8
with the following additions:

Urge Legislature to provide additional funding The policy demonstrates beneficence by putting the
for the staffing of both qualified medical prisoner’s best interests first:
providers and prison officers to carry out the
duties of the policy, as a common criticism of
this Bill is that there are not enough workers to

No denial of basic necessities, communication devices,

reading materials, hygiene supplies 8
implement it. Comfortable conditions ensured
8

Increased funding to hire & train more qualified medical

Elaborate on transition programs mentioned staff for prisoner’s mental health
in the policy, specifically stating the benefits
that will be provided at each transition level.
Benefits include quality-of-life adjustments
(such as an additional phone call, more hours
Social Justice Implications
for social time) that will incentivize
participation in self-improvement. 9

Explicitly state that once the bill passes,

inmates currently in solitary confinement will Improved assimilation into community after confinement:
be evaluated to determine if continued
solitary confinement is appropriate for them. Current inmates in confinement must have transition plan to
8
Reducing time in solitary confinement is less restrictive intervention
crucial for the mental health of prisoners.
17 Transition program for ex-convicts to return to society
Access to programs aiding in career search, education,
Provide additional support for individuals healthcare, counseling
transitioning out of prison to help them
process their experience in solitary Marginalized communities will benefit from restricted
confinement and integrate back to the outside solitary confinement use & less risk of placement:
world.
Solitary confinement risk for black men is 8x higher than white
men 14
Latinos are 2.5x more likely than whites to have been held in
14
solitary confinement
56% of prisoners are Hispanic or African Americans 12
Data tracking, documentation, & reports keep record of prison
8
community, holding staff accountable for non-discrimination

References
1. Ban Long-Term Solitary Confinement. (n.d.). Disability Rights Washington. Retrieved March 5, 2023, from https://www.disabilityrightswa.org/ban-solitary-confinement/#:~:text=More%20than%20600%20people%20are%20currently%20in%20solitary
2. Darneille J., Nguyne J. (2021). Safe Prisons, Safe Communities: From Isolation to Dignity and Wellness Behind Bars Closing Memo. Vera Institute of Justice. https://www.doc.wa.gov/corrections/incarceration/docs/restrictive-housing-vera-institute-of-justice-closing-memo.pdf
3. De Vaulx, J. (2022, October 25). What Can We Learn From the Norwegian Prison System – Berkeley Political Review. Berkely Political Review. https://bpr.berkeley.edu/2022/10/25/what-can-we-learn-from-the-norwegian-prison-system/
4. Executive Order 16-05 Report Building Safe and Strong Communities Through Successful Reentry.(2017). Office of Governor Jay Inslee.https://www.governor.wa.gov/sites/default/files/ExecutiveOrder1605AnnualReport.pdf
5. Fenster, A. (2020, October 13). New data: Solitary confinement increases risk of premature death after release. Prison Policy Initiative. https://www.prisonpolicy.org/blog/2020/10/13/solitary_mortality_risk/
6. Fiscal Note Package 67228. (n.d.). Washington State Legislature. Multiple Agency Fiscal Note Summary. https://fnspublic.ofm.wa.gov/FNSPublicSearch/GetPDF?packageID=67228
7. Grierson, J. (2019, November 18). Freed prisoners killing themselves at a rate of one every two days. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/nov/18/freed-prisoners-killing-themselves-at-a-rate-of-one-every-two-days
8. H.B. 1087, 68th Legislature, 2023 Regular Session. (Wash. 2023). https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1087&Year=2023&Initiative=false
9. Labrecque, R. M., Tostlebe, J. J., Useem, B., & Pyrooz, D. C. (2021). Reforming solitary confinement: The development, implementation, and processes of a restrictive housing step down reentry program in Oregon. Health & Justice, 9(1), 23. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40352-021-
00151-9
10. Lovell D., Clark Johnson L., Cain K.C. (2007). Recidivism of Supermax Prisoners in Washington State. Crime & Delinquency. 53(4):633-656. https://heinonline-org.offcampus.lib.washington.edu/HOL/Page?
lname=&public=false&collection=journals&handle=hein.journals/cadq53&men_hide=false&men_tab=toc&kind=&page=633
11. Luigi M., Dellazizzo L., Giguere C. E., et al. (2020). Shedding Light on "the Hole": A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on Adverse Psychological Effects and Mortality Following Solitary Confinement in Correctional Settings. Front Psychiatry.
11:840.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7468496/
12. NAACP. (2022, November 4). Criminal justice fact sheet. NAACP. Retrieved March 4, 2023, from https://naacp.org/resources/criminal-justice-fact-sheet
13. MADEO. (2022, October 14). Solitary Confinement Facts. American Friends Service Committee. https://afsc.org/solitary-confinement-facts#:~:text=A%3A%20Numerous%20studies%20have%20documented%20the%20harmful%20psychological
14. Pullen-Blasnik, H., Simes, J. T., & Western, B. (2021, November 26). The population prevalence of solitary confinement. ScienceAdvances. Retrieved March 5, 2023, from https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abj1928
15. Reiter, K. (2018, November 22). The Root of America’s Over-Use of Solitary Confinements in Prison-and how Reform can Happen. Scholars Strategy Network. https://scholars.org/brief/root-americas-over-use-solitary-confinements-prison-and-how-reform-can-happen
16. Reiter K., Chesnut K., Gonzalez G., et al. (2021). Reducing Restrictive Housing Use in Washington State: Results from the 2016-2020 Study "Understanding and Replicating Washington State's Segregation Reduction Programs," Contract No. K11273.
https://www.doc.wa.gov/corrections/incarceration/docs/restrictive-housing-university-california-irvine-report.pdf
17. Western, B., Simes, J. T., & Bradner, K. (2022). Solitary confinement and institutional harm. Incarceration, 3(1), 263266632110656. https://doi.org/10.1177/26326663211065644
18.