Indefinite solitary confinement in Canadian prisons ruled unconstitutional
Anonymous account because my employers don't know this. I spent 3 years in solitary confinement in Virginia during my 10 year sentence and the experience definitely changed me, though probably was actually beneficial in a strange way. I spent the time focused on mathematics and actually became a decent analyst near the end of it. I continued studying math until my release, after which I went to college and eventually got a PhD in it. After deciding not to pursue a career in academia, I became a developer and have recently moved into data science, which I like better because I get to use my mathematical skills along with programming.<p>My experience is obviously atypical though. I saw many people mentally deteriorate, attempt suicide, and essentially give up hope in life while under this sanction. What is worse, the state at that time was imposing a truly inhumane punishment on the rastafarian community within prisons. Due to the rastas not following prison grooming habits by refusing to shave off their dreadlocks, the prison system moved a group of them into the hole. When I left it, some had been there for 10 years straight. I can assure you that many of these men were deeply disturbed.<p>I was lucky in that I have a psychology that can endure this sort of abuse and come out of it stronger, but most people are not wired like this. Given what I have seen, this really is tantamount to torture. I wish so much that normal US citizens would tour a prison and see what this does to people, because maybe then this would be outlawed.