1. Defining Solitary Confinement

When you Google "what is solitary confinement", the definition you get is "the isolation of a prisoner in a separate cell as a punishment." This definition makes sense because it is in the name of what you are looking for.

Solitary-- alone, separate; 

Confinement-- being confined in a space

But what this definition lacks is the specifics of what solitary confinement is. This definition is neat, clean, and easy to understand, but it doesn't have the grisly details of what is actually happening.

To be more specific, solitary confinement is the act of separating prisoners in isolated cells for between 22 and 24 hours a day with little to no human contact. The cells used are usually either 6 ft by 9 ft or 8 ft by 10 ft and only have a steel sink and toilet. Time spent outside the cell is spent in a small yard with heavy security. The amount of time each prisoner spends in solitary varies. Time spent in solitary has ranged from only days to years and even decades.While each individual prison facilities have their own standards and regulations, these are all qualities that they have.  

Another trait that most facilities have in common is the reason why inmates are put into solitary confinement. This reason is that solitary confinement is a method of punishment for prisoners who don't follow the prisons rules or are deemed a danger to themselves, the other inmates, or the guards. 

Solitary Confinement is also supposed to be used as a last resort, if all other efforts fail; however, that is not the case most of the time. For example, the California Code of Regulations states two dozen "Serious Rules Violations", which include "'Possession of five dollars or more without authorization,' 'Tattooing or possession of tattoo paraphernalia,' 'Participation in a strike or work stoppage,' and 'Self mutilation or attempted suicide for the purpose of manipulation'." Additionally, many prisoners end up in solitary confinement due to accusations of being an active gang member. Many of these accusations come from prisoners already in solitary because they are told that they will be let out if they make these accusations.

Source:

• http://solitarywatch.com/facts/faq/