officials at the downdown denver detention center agreed to make me an inmate for 48 hours. locked up, alone, in a room with only a camera to talk to. tell you what, when that door closes and you're in here, by yourself? it is very lonely feeling. pretty soon, the screaming starts. >> i'm going crazy in here! they're leaving me locked in a room for 23 hours a day! >> reporter: while the commotion is jarring to me -- >> making sure everybody's okay and making sure everyone has regular breathing going on, no one's trying to hurt themselves. >> reporter: it is nothing new at all for guards like thomas acey, who works the overnight shift. he makes his rounds every half hour. >> this is my pod. i listen to everything that goes on in here, just to have a good feeling on what's going on. you hear it all. >> reporter: as night falls and the lights go out, the howling and banging gets more intense. the guy in the cell directly below me is having a meltdown for several hours now, screaming, banging on the door of his cell. my neighbor downstairs also in solitary has taken off his clot