Death Row Phenomenon

The death row phenomenon is a term used to refer to the emotional distress felt by prisoners on death row. Concerns about the ethics of inflicting this distress upon prisoners have led to some legal concerns about the constitutionality of the death penalty in the United States and other countries. In relation to the use of solitary confinement with death row inmates, death row phenomenon and death row syndrome are two concepts that are gaining ground. The death row syndrome must be seen as a distinct concept, which refers to the enduring psychological effects of the death row phenomenon, which merely refers to the triggers of the syndrome.

Harrison and Tamony define death row phenomenon as the harmful effects of death row conditions, whilst death row syndrome is the consequent manifestation of psychological illness that can occur as a result of death row phenomenon.

Some authors have suggested that the most humane way to avoid such a syndrome is to execute criminals guilty of death-penalty crimes.