proponents of solitary confinement propound that solitary confinement can improve the safety of inmates and prison staff. earlier justifications for solitary confinement in the mid 20th century included protection for a prisoner whose sexual orientation, religion, or race were far too different and seen as vulnerable to attack from fellow inmates. maintaining a sense of order is the main job of correctional officers, and having solitary confinement gives them a resource to control and punish offensive or prohibited behaviors of inmates. this also allows for solitary confinement to act as a deterrent to incarcerated people as they may want to avoid acting out in order to not end up in isolation. critically, penitentiaries were created and named under the root word "penitence", and giving prisoners a space where they are forced to be alone with their thoughts is seen as a way to reform their character and promote their penitence.