In many states, death row inmates are kept in tiny cells for up to 23 hours every day. Pennsylvania's female death row inmates are subjected to at least four strip-searches each time someone visits them. Sadistic beatings of prisoners by guards are frequent.
Amnesty recently gave the following information:
"Many people think life in prison -- even on death row -- is a piece of cake: three meals a day, free television and sports equipment, etc. A reality check is provided by the visit of Pierre Sane, Amnesty International’s Secretary General, who visited Texas’ Death Row in Huntsville, where 437 condemned men and women await execution. An assistant warden briefed the AI group, telling them 'death row inmates can work at the garment factory.' But the delegation also observed "subhuman" living conditions on death row’s 'segregated' unit, reserved for prisoners who do not quality for, or refuse to participate in the prison’s work program. These prisoners live in rows of tiny cages stacked in three tiers with one decrepit shower area for 22 prisoners. They are released from their cells only 2 hours a day. (AI DP Newsletter, Winter 1997)".
A prisoner on Texas's death row wrote in 1996: "It's the guards, employed by the state (you), who reek with violence. They seek pleasure, glory and even think it is their patriotic duty to inflict ruthless and premeditated acts of intimidation, bullying, brutality, indictive torture and other diabolical acts on the prisoners."