Revisiting the Psychological Effects of Administrative Segregation: Does the Setting Matter?

Administrative segregation is commonly used to isolate disruptive, high-risk, or violent prisoners who pose a threat to others and the institution. Individuals are placed alone in a cell for approximately twenty-three hours per day, having little opportunity for meaningful contact with others. It is argued that such settings produce harmful, psychological effects; however, others suggest that segregation may not produce any more of an iatrogenic effect than routine incarceration. To determine if the setting matters, the author uses secondary data to examine the differences in psychological and behavioral outcomes for individuals placed in long-term segregation versus the general prison population.