Everyday thousands of humans and millions of nonhumans endure solitary confinement. Human prisoners held in this way are confined for 22 to 24 hours a day for weeks, months, or even years on end in cells the size of a parking space. For these humans, the experience is tortuous. Captive animals held in solitary confinement similarly spend much of their lives locked into tiny spaces, isolated, and deprived of the types of interactions and environment essential to their wellbeing. And, like humans, they are driven mad. In human and nonhuman settings, the agony of solitary is chillingly alike and harmful. And, in neither setting is it justifiable or necessary.
In their article, , published in Nebraska Law Review, Haub Law Professors Michael Mushlin and David Cassuto use a comparative format to examine the moral, penological and scientific shortcomings of solitary confinement across species. The article sheds light on the importance of empowering all creatures subjected to solitary confinement. “If we adequately protect all vulnerable beings, the unnecessary suffering inflicted by solitary confinement will finally end,” they write.
The youngest of seven, Kyle Davis-Edwards ’25 grew up in a loving, humble household where his parents held him to high expectations. “My parents enrolled me in a private high school with the expectation that I excel in the school’s top tier sports and academic programs,” shared Kyle. “While my parents were strict, it was their guidance that cultivated me into the disciplined and driven person I am today.”
The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at is excited to announce that Professor Rachel Rothschild has been selected to receive the 2025–2026 Haub Environmental Law Distinguished Junior Scholar Award. The Haub Environmental Law Distinguished Junior Scholar Award is presented annually to an emerging junior environmental law professor who exhibits scholarly excellence and promise at an early stage in their career. The Haub Environmental Law Faculty solicits nominations from law professors throughout the country and selects a recipient from that pool of nominations. The award recipient is invited to present his/her recent scholarship to the Haub Law community.
In July 2025, the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at welcomed students and faculty from O.P. Jindal Global University for an immersive academic experience focused on the intersection of corporate law and environmental sustainability.