Solitary Confinement in Oregon, Part 2 of 5

In this episode, we continue our special series on Solitary Confinement by turning our focus to Oregon’s only women’s prison—Coffee Creek—and the often-overlooked realities of solitary confinement behind its walls. Kyle Black shares firsthand accounts of the degrading strip searches, traumatizing isolation, and the human toll of a system designed to punish, not protect. We explore how solitary is used as a catch-all for everything the prison can’t—or won’t—address, and ask: who is truly being kept safe?

CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains discussions of suicide, self-harm, and sexual abuse. Listener discretion is advised. If these topics are distressing for you, please take care while listening, and consider skipping this episode if needed. Help is available to anyone struggling with suicidal thoughts. Call 988 to speak to someone today.

The Trail Blazing Justice podcast is a production of the Oregon Justice Resource Center.