The SHU Replica Cell is part of a nationwide interfaith campaign against the torture of solitary confinement organized by the National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT). The 10×12 replica cell is modeled after a solitary unit in a Wisconsin prison. While inside the cell, visitors hear an audio track with sounds often experienced in solitary confinement. The audio track was recorded in a solitary confinement unit in Maine. NRCAT worked with a carpenter to develop the replica cell which is transported and displayed in locations across the country.
The goal of the replica cell give viewers a fraction of the real experience of solitary confinement. The cell has been an effective advocacy tool in many jurisdictions. Inside the Box, for example, was an exhibit and program in Connecticut designed to support legislative efforts to limit solitary confinement.
- Learn about NRCAT’s Replica SHU Cell
- Watch NRCAT’s video, Breaking Down the Box, a 40 minute film by Matthew Gossage that examines the mental health, racial justice and human rights implications of the systemic use of solitary confinement in U.S. prisons.