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Solitary Confinement Cell comes to Fox Valley

Solitary Confinement in Wisconsin

IT’S INEFFECTIVE, IMMORAL, DANGEROUS AND VERY EXPENSIVE!

 

ESTHER is hosting a life-size replica of a solitary confinement cell in the lobby of the Communications Art Center at UW-Fox Valley (1478 Midway Rd, Menasha) during the week of October 5th-9th. The cell is open at no cost for the public to experience from 10:00am-8:00pm on October 5th-7th (Mon-Wed) and again on October 9th (Friday).

Three community events are planned for the week:

  • Monday, October 5th at 6:30pm - Mental Illness and Incarceration, Community Forum. Community leaders share about the impact that incarceration, as well as solitary confinement has on those with mental illness. Free and open to all.
  • Tuesday, October 6th from 11:30am-1:30pm - Religious Leaders Experience. Open to all religious leaders, lunch included. Please RSVP by phone at 920-843-8083 or email esther.foxvalley@gmail.com
  • Tuesday, October 6th at 6:30pm - Solitary Confinement and Prison Reform, Community Forum. Experts present the effect that solitary confinment has on individuals and what's being done in Wisconsin. Free and open to all.

To schedule a group or class to experience the cell contact us by phone at 920-843-8083 or email esther.foxvalley@gmail.com

Print event flyer here

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On any given day in Wisconsin, there have been 1400-1500 prisoners kept in solitary confinement (also known as segregation), enduring 23 or even 24 hours of each day in a cell, often for months at a time and sometimes for years and even decades. To shine a light on this issue, making it more visible to our citizens, we decided to find a way to help people actually experience, even for a few moments, what segregation would be like. 

In the fall of 2014, the Prison Ministry Project of Madison created a life-size replica of a solitary confinement cell based on the exact specifications of a segregation cell in a Wisconsin state prison. A soundtrack was also created of the sounds one would hear within a cell in an actual solitary unit. In its debut, the mobile replica was installed on the steps of the State Capitol as part of a powerful and moving event that included stories told by those impacted.

On October 5 through 9, ESTHER will be hosting the traveling solitary confinement replica at UW-Fox Valley. We hope to raise awareness of the use of segregation in our state prisons.  Three community events are planned during the week, and the cell is open at no cost for the public to experience.

 

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