ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½

Faculty and Staff

Powerless Beings: Solitary Confinement of Humans and Non Humans in America

Posted
May 9, 2024

Everyday thousands of humans and millions of nonhumans endure solitary confinement. Human prisoners held in this way are confined for 22 to 24 hours a day for weeks, months, or even years on end in cells the size of a parking space. For these humans, the experience is tortuous. Captive animals held in solitary confinement similarly spend much of their lives locked into tiny spaces, isolated, and deprived of the types of interactions and environment essential to their wellbeing. And, like humans, they are driven mad. In human and nonhuman settings, the agony of solitary is chillingly alike and harmful. And, in neither setting is it justifiable or necessary.

In their article, , published in Nebraska Law Review, Haub Law Professors Michael Mushlin and David Cassuto use a comparative format to examine the moral, penological and scientific shortcomings of solitary confinement across species. The article sheds light on the importance of empowering all creatures subjected to solitary confinement. ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½œIf we adequately protect all vulnerable beings, the unnecessary suffering inflicted by solitary confinement will finally end,ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ they write.

More from Pace

In the Media

Executive Director of the Pace WomenΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½™s Justice Center, Cindy J. Kanusher, powerfully addressed President TrumpΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½™s dismissive remarks about domestic violence in a widely shared statement featured in The Independent. ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½œDomestic violence is not a private matter or a misunderstanding. It is abuse. It is a crime. And it must be treated with the seriousness it demands,ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ she said. Kanusher emphasized that minimizing these crimes sends a dangerous message to victims, potentially silencing them and impeding justice. Her remarks have added critical legal and moral context to the media backlash around the issue.

In the Media

Elisabeth Haub School of Law Professor Bennett Gershman writes a piece in the New York Law Journal examining whether Donald Trump or Jeffrey Epstein had any contact with the Florida U.S. Attorney who brokered EpsteinΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½™s controversial plea deal 17 years ago, raising critical questions about influence, power, and accountability.

Elisabeth Haub School of Law at ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ Professor Margot Pollans at the podium during the Future Environmental Law Professors Workshop and a panel of three professors
Press Release

Elisabeth Haub School of Law at ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ Hosts Twelfth AnnualΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½¦

On September 5, 2025, the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ hosted the twelfth annual Future Environmental Law Professors Workshop. The workshop is designed for law students and graduates considering or planning careers as legal academics in environmental law broadly defined. The workshop included an informational panel, mock interviews, and practice job talks. In addition, this year Professor Rachel Rothschild, recipient of the 2025 Haub Environmental Law Distinguished Junior Scholar Award, delivered the keynote lunch address.