> I'd pick the enriched solitary confinement over having to socialise with the general prison population any day, wouldn't you?

Do have experience with either? I believe the "enriched" solitary confinement you're proposing would be more maddening than you think. I agree that the US has a problem with criminals creating new networks inside of prisons, but stripping away all real interaction is throwing the baby out with the bath water. Functioning members of society need to know how to interact with each other. If you believe that prisons should rehabilitate, you should agree that they need to encourage safe, respectful, and real interaction with strangers.