Cruel and usual punishment: solitary confinement in Canadian prisons

Diane Kelsall

doi:10.1503/cmaj.141419

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Solitary confinement
Hans P Berkhout

Posted on: 15 December 2014

Posted on: (15 December 2014)
Page navigation anchor for Solitary confinement
Solitary confinement
Hans P Berkhout, F.P. (retired)
Dear editor,
I appreciate the space devoted in the CMAJ to this topic. In the article provided by Diane Kelsall the optimism expressed in the last sentence is based more on wishful thinking than established facts.
The author's statement that " The Correctional Investigator (.........) has repeatedly called for a prohibition...... etc" confirms my reason for concern.
Assuming that medic...
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Dear editor,
I appreciate the space devoted in the CMAJ to this topic. In the article provided by Diane Kelsall the optimism expressed in the last sentence is based more on wishful thinking than established facts.
The author's statement that " The Correctional Investigator (.........) has repeatedly called for a prohibition...... etc" confirms my reason for concern.
Assuming that medical assessment or advice is requested in a number of these cases (if not all), what exactly is the role of physicians "treating" people in solitary confinement? Is there any record of written advice to stop solitary confinement submitted by a physician when the victim is deteriorating physically or mentally? What happens when a physician advises to stop the confinement immediately?
Is it a requirement in terms of human rights that a physician examine the person who is in solitary confinement for more than X hours?
Do licensing authorities provide rules or guidelines?
Conflict of Interest:
None declared
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Competing Interests: None declared.