Learn more about solitary confinement, find resources for people currently or formerly incarcerated, connect to advocacy groups and explore current research on prison reform and isolation practices.
Find more international resources, including recent and past reports on solitary confinement at
Basic Principles for the Treatment of Prisoners
Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary
Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers
Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials
Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment
Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT)
Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power
Guidelines for Action on Children in the Criminal Justice System
Guidelines on the Role of Prosecutors
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 1966
Safeguards guaranteeing protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty
Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners
United Nations Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency (The Riyadh Guidelines)
United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty
United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for Non-custodial Measures (The Tokyo Rules)
United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (The Beijing Rules)
EUROPEAN BODIES
European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT)
European Court of Human Rights
INTERNATIONAL NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS (NGOS)
Association for the Prevention of Torture
American Civil Liberties Union (we can stop solitary campaign)
Anti Torture Initiative with the United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
International Council of Nurses
British Psychological Association
Royal College of Psychiatrists
MONITORING AND PRISON REFORM BODIES: ENGLAND AND WALES
Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons
International Centre for Prison Studies
Human Rights -CSWE
United Nations Convention against Torture
“The Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (commonly known as the United Nations Convention against Torture (UNCAT)) is an international human rights treaty, under the review of the United Nations, that aims to prevent torture and other acts of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment around the world.s under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment” the United States is subject to this law, the law states specifically that: ”
“Parties are required to train and educate their law enforcement personnel, civilian or military personnel, medical personnel, public officials, and other persons involved in the custody, interrogation, or treatment of any individual subjected to any form of arrest, detention, or imprisonment, regarding the prohibition against torture (Article 10). Parties also must keep interrogation rules, instructions, methods, and practices under systematic review regarding individuals who are under custody or physical control in any territory under their jurisdiction, in order to prevent all acts of torture (Article 11).
Parties are also obliged to prevent all acts of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment in any territory under their jurisdiction, and to investigate any allegation of such treatment. (Article 16)”.
This is in gross contradiction to the practices of Solitary Confinement
Read More about the Treaty Here
UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (Nelson Mandela Rules)
The UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (SMRs) are adopted unanimously by the UN General Assembly.
The rules serve to protect prisoners and provide Guidance for Prison staff. In regards to Solitary they state that it is Often damaging to Prisoners mental health, ineffective at rehabilitation and doesn’t make Prisons easier to manage. The rules state that Solitary must only be used as an absolute last resort and for as short a time as possible.
Read the full Nelson Mandela rules Here.
PHR Report on Human Rights and Dual Loyalty in Health Professional Practice
Fidelity to the patient is a cornerstone of the ethics of health practice; yet physicians, nurses and other health professionals are increasingly called upon to subordinate the patient’s interest to some social objective – sometimes at the expense of the rights of the patient. In this book, PHR analyzes the problem of dual loyalty and proposes both practice guidelines and institutional mechanisms to support health professionals facing dual loyalty conflicts.
Read the Book Here
The Council on Social Work Education’s Educational Policy and Accreditation Standard Include Competency on Human Rights – Competency 3.
CSWE Social Work Competency 3:
Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice
2015 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards
for Baccalaureate and Master’s Social Work Programs
Social workers understand that every person regardless of position in society has fundamental human rights such as freedom, safety, privacy, and adequate standard of living, health care, and education. Social workers understand the global interconnections of oppression and human rights violations, and are knowledgeable about theories of human need and social justice and strategies to promote social and economic justice and human rights. Social workers understand strategies designed to eliminate oppressive barriers to ensure that social goods, rights, and responsibilities are distributed equitably and that civil, political, environmental, economic, social, and cultural human rights are protected. Social workers:
- apply their understanding of social, economic, and environmental justice to advocate for human rights at the individual and system levels; and
- engage in practices that advance social, economic, and environmental justice.
“Teaching Human Rights: Curriculum Resources for Social Work Educators” a resource manual designed to help American Social Work Educators develop course modules. Please email swasc999@gmail.com if you will help to build educational resources on Human Rights and Solitary Confinement for instructional/educational purposes. Below are articles on Solitary Confinement. Also check our Resources, Articles and Media and Newsletters.