Call for end to solitary confinement echoed in Whitehorse

An editorial in a leading medical journal says putting inmates in solitary confinement is cruel and unusual punishment.

The Canadian Medical Association Journal's editorial calls for a ban on solitary confinement, saying the practice leads to depression, anxiety and suicide.

It’s a position being supported by many nationally as well as in the North.

“It's definitely very detrimental, says Leslie Robert with the Second Opinion Society in Whitehorse, which works closely with people with mental illness.

Robert says solitary confinement is not just harmful while an inmate is behind bars.

“One big issue is they have difficulty when they get back in to the general population of the jail and their behaviour is really not good. And also once they get out of jail again it's very difficult for them to integrate into society because they've been experiencing severe mental and social deprivation.”

Lawyer Jennifer Metcalfe with the West Coast Prison Justice Society was in Whitehorse for a legal conference. She says a more therapeutic environment is needed.

“If you can imagine living in your bathroom, except that it's not a very nice bathroom, for 23 hours a day, it would sort of be like that.”

CBC North recently learned of cases of prisoners in Yellowknife spending months at a time in isolation.

It's not known how many Yukoners are currently in solitary confinement, but the case of Whitehorse inmate Michael Nehass brought attention to the issue.

Nehass spent long periods in isolation. His supporters have been in court opposing his ongoing confinement.

At its 2014 annual general meeting, the Canadian Medical Association passed a resolution committing to work with Correctional Service Canada to address the medical and psychiatric implications of solitary confinement.

The editorial was written by Dr. Diane Kelsall, the journal’s deputy editor.

“On any given day, there are 850 offenders (about 5.6% of the prison population) in solitary confinement in Canadian federal prisons,” she writes. “Is this acceptable practice or is this torture?”