The United States weaponizes solitary confinement against Afro-descendent people in a wide range of detention settings, from municipal jails to state and federal prisons to immigration detention centers, and even within care settings for foster youth.

Black people in North Carolina are disproportionately affected by solitary confinement. In 2021, amongst incarcerated individuals aged 18-21, 70% of those placed in solitary confinement were Black. Although Black people only make up 51% of North Carolina’s prisons, Black people made up 64% of those placed in the most restrictive solitary confinement units.

In May 2022, human rights advocates in North Carolina launched EndSolitaryNC, detailing accounts of abusive solitary confinement practices within the prisons. Their stories include:

Michael, age 42: “I’ve been on lock-up going on three years. We are always on lock up. We get rec [recreational opportunities] only three times a week. We get strip searched everytime we come out of our cells. They give us 180 more days if we catch one infraction, no matter how small.”

Thomas, age 30: “I’ve been placed on lock-up for over 15 months straight since April 1st, 2019. I begged to be let off lock-up and out of segregation. . . . I’ve tried to starve myself to death because of stress and not being able to contact my family and also being fed child-like portions on food trays. I’ve been called a “retarded monkey” by staff.

Bill, age 29: “I had been asking to see [the] psychologist or anyone that could help all day. I became suicidal and told the officers. I put my hand on the trap and started screaming to get some help. Officers came in my room and tazed me and put me in full restraints. . . . They tazed me multiple, multiple times. Joked at me about this and I was in full restraints for some of those stuns.”

What solutions exist?

We encourage the Special Rapporteur to publicly call on the United States to pass a legislative ban on solitary confinement, the Advocate for the End Solitary Confinement Act (S. 3409/H.R. 4972); declare solitary confinement to be torture; offer free and accessible mental health services; and memorialize victims and survivors of solitary confinement.

How can I get involved?

Read our submission to learn how the United States inflicts torture on Black people through solitary confinement and how North Carolina advocates are working for change.

November 1, 2024

Submission to United Nations Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent on solitary confinement of Black people in North Carolina