State Drops Solitary Confinement in Prisons, Claims “It Doesn’t Work”

The legendary classic rock band Humble Pie had a huge hit in 1972 with a song called "30 Days In the Hole," referring to solitary confinement in prison.

Now, it's a moot point.

Claiming a "study" shows the practice doesn't work, the Washington State Department of Corrections has dropped it.

It's the latest step in a series of questionable moves that GOP Legislators and citizens say show the Governor, Democrats and special interest groups are working hard to go soft on crime.

The study was done by the controversial Southern Poverty Law Center, which is actually a political activism group. An Op-Ed story in USA Today in 2019 details the latest in a series of accusations against the political action group, which bills itself as a social justice and legitimate source of information.

The study claims solitary confinement does not bring about the desired results in forcing compliance or toned-down behavior from an inmate.

This explanation came from the Seattle Times, Sept. 30 2012:

"The DOC refers to the practice as “disciplinary segregation,” and says the term “solitary confinement” is archaic and does not reflect the fact that incarcerated individuals receive programming and other benefits."

The practice will no longer be used, as DOC claims it just doesn't generate results. Gov. Inslee predictably praised the move as did some top DOC officials.

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This move comes on the heels of the dozen or so new state laws that have handcuffed law enforcement procedures, and resulted in anywhere from a 25 to 40 percent increase in a variety of crimes, including those of a violent nature.