no solitary is 'jail' inside of prison.... since alot of guys are lifers, or have severe long terms (50+ years) just adding to their sentence doesn't bother them, so they had to think of something to do to them, and of course torture is out since it's highly-illegal... beating as well...

solitary confinement was the outcome...

and yeah it's horrible, it's supposed to be... it is there afterall, to detour even lifers from doing bad shit...

i don't think anyone is put straight into the hole.... but if it does happen, i'd imagine it'd be reserved for the worst of the worst, unpredictable killers who have no regaurd for life, either of others or their own.