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Abstract: 

The psychological effects of prolonged isolation during the Covid-19 lockdown gave “free society” a glimpse of what prisoners confined in administrative or disciplinary segregation endure every day. During pandemic isolation, many individuals complained of rising levels of anger, stress, depression, anxiety, confusion, and post-traumatic stress, what some psychiatrists have labeled an “immunosuppressive effect.” In a study spanning 63 countries and 1,871 responses, researchers found a 0.7% increase in perceived symptoms of stress for each day of quarantine. This article surveys a number of studies published in the last year that reach important conclusions about the harmful effects of social isolation—findings that should influence how, when, and under what conditions the use of prolonged isolation may be used in the correctional setting.

Keywords: Isolation and pandemic stress; Immunosuppression

Affiliations:  1: Associate Editor.