Today, Solitary Watch is publishing the eighth in a series of fact sheets that offer facts, analysis, and resources on a variety of topics related to solitary confinement in U.S. prisons, jails, and immigrant and juvenile facilities. This fact sheet, written by Sophie Kane, is titled “Women in Solitary Confinement.”

The population of incarcerated women has skyrocketed 475 percent from 1980 to 2023. And while most people in solitary confinement are still men, a growing number are women. About 20.4 percent of women in prison report spending time in solitary, compared to 17.9% of men.

As the fact sheet states: “Solitary confinement is always harmful, but can be uniquely detrimental to incarcerated women, who enter prison with high rates of mental illness; past trauma; and other physical, medical, and psychological challenges that are worsened by time spent in solitary. Incarcerated women may also have pregnancy and reproductive care needs that go unmet in solitary cells. For mothers and their families, the isolating conditions of solitary can be additionally painful and harmful. Solitary is often used to hold the most vulnerable women, including individuals with mental illness, transgender women, and victims of sexual assault by staff.”

The first fact sheet in the series addresses “Racism and Solitary Confinement,” while the second covers the often overlooked “Collateral Consequences of Solitary Confinement.” The third in the series documents the “Psychological Effect of Solitary Confinement,” the fourth challenges misconceptions about “Solitary Confinement and Prison Safety,” the fifth explores “Solitary Confinement and the Brain: The Neurological Effects,” and the sixth addresses “Solitary Confinement and Prison Oversight.” The seventh fact sheet covers “Children in Solitary Confinement.” Future entries in the fact sheet series will cover the specific impacts of solitary on LGBTQ+ individuals and on Muslims accused and convicted of terrorism-related offenses, as well as the use of solitary in immigration detention. Also forthcoming are facts sheets on solitary confinement and the law and the high fiscal costs of solitary. All existing fact sheets can be found together on this page.

Fact sheets are designed to be accessed online and also printed out and copied for use by educators, advocates, policymakers, and others.