Today, Solitary Watch is publishing the twelfth 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 Lizzie Kane, Sara Vogel, and Ella Whitaker, is titled “LGBTQ+ People in Solitary Confinement.”

As the fact sheet states: “LGBTQ+ people face disproportionate rates of violence, abuse, and psychological trauma while incarcerated. Often, this results in being sent to solitary confinement, either as alleged “protection,” as punishment for their gender expression and personal relationships, or as retaliation for acting in self-defense and filing grievances.”

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,” the eighth is on “Women in Solitary Confinement,” and the ninth documents the growing us of “Solitary Confinement in Immigration Detention.” “Prison Activism” is the tenth fact sheet, detailing the use of solitary as a deterrent and a punishment for ‘stepping out of line’—also known as advocating for one’s own civil rights. Fact sheet eleven addresses the The High Cost of Solitary Confinement—costs that are hidden and inflated—and how American tax dollars quietly pick up the tab.

Upcoming entries in the fact sheet series will cover the specific impacts of solitary on people with death sentences, on Muslims accused or convicted of terrorism-related offenses, and on people with physical and sensory disabilities. 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.