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Solitary confinement

The extensive use of solitary confinement in Norwegian prisons has been criticized by national and international human rights organizations for decades.

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In the PriSUD project, we aim to examine the use of solitary confinement in Norwegian prisons and utilize our register linkages to investigate the risk factors for being isolated during incarceration and the consequences thereof. The project will contribute important new knowledge about the use, about who is placed in solitary confinement, and what the long-term health effects are.

Solitary confinement is one of the most intrusive measures a state can implement. Prolonged solitary confinement is regarded as a form of torture, and even short periods of solitary confinement can harm both physical and mental health and increase the risk of premature death.

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Through prison register data, we have information about solitary confinement during incarceration, which has been routinely recorded by the correctional services since 2014. The isolation material includes more than 10,000 individuals and over 40,000 confinement incidents. This encompasses both court-mandated or prison-ordered isolation, as well as self-imposed isolation by the inmate. Data from the prison register provides us with information about the characteristics of the incarceration, including sentences, length of incarceration, security level, and solitary confinement, including the reason for and duration of the isolation.

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Research on solitary confinement is led by Nicoline Toresen Lokdam, with funding from Stiftelsen Dam.

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