Street Activism

How to do a Solitary Confinement Demo in 5 Easy Steps

Step 1: SET GOAL
*What do you hope to accomplish with your demonstration?

Example: get passers-by to send postcards to a specific prisoner, sign a petition to end long-term solitary confinement, support a lawsuit to end long-term solitary confinement.

Step 2: BUILD CELL
Get measurements: how big is the solitary cell you are re-creating? Typically range from 6×9 to 8×10 but some prisoners may be in even smaller confinement – if you are supporting a specific prisoner, check with the inmate(s).

Step 3: PUBLICIZE YOUR EVENT
*Make an event page for the action
*Contact local media a week before the event- include a press release
*Go guerilla: skip publicizing the event and just do it!

Step 4: DAY OF

*Be courteous and polite
*Engage the public
*Take pictures for write-up

Step 5: AFTER THE ACTION

*Write a blog post of post-action write-up. We will be happy to post it on the PAPS site too! If you get news coverage, let us know and we will amplify it.
*Follow-up with turning in petition signatures, or with your inmate. Did they receive the postcards? Are they planning on writing back to those who wrote them? Did they receive second communication?