What was the purpose of the Rookie Pest House in the novel, What She Left Behind?

The Rookie Pest House was a separate wing of Willard designed for problem patients. It was designed to isolate the patients when they were having an episode, actually working more akin to a low-grade torture chamber. Patients were chained to the beds and endured endless hours simply staring out onto the grounds through the windows while they were shackled. Both Clara and Bruno spend time in the Rookie Pest House, and the sights they see while incarcerated are disturbing to them, as patient abuse by the administrators is not only tolerated, but routinely applied.