Investigative Reports: Solitary Confinement

This documentary, part of the A&E Investigative Reports series, goes inside the world of the Supermax prison, where security is the number one priority. Narrated by producer and host Bill Kurtis, this episode uses Arizona State Prison and Pelican Bay State Prison in California as examples of two institutions that are considered Supermax. In this type of prison, each convict is given his own 80 square foot cell in which he spends 23 hours. The question of whether this prison system is too harsh and too restricted is continually asked. To try and get to the bottom of this heated question, Investigative Reports talks with psychologists, prison officials, guards, wardens, and even some prisoners who speak about their views of this type of maximum security. ~ Cecilia Cygnar