I think the reason prisons are such terrible places is fundamentally tied to freedom. Freedom is one of the deepest human longings—it is a basic human need. When the human mind does not feel free, frustration is generated almost immediately. The mind understands confinement instinctively. When an individual has access to only a very limited space, the mind translates that condition as a denial of freedom.
This denial produces frustration, and when the mind is constantly frustrated in that way, it begins to break the human being. Instead of restoring memory, capacity, or social ability, prisons often do the opposite: they break people down. That is why, rather than rehabilitating individuals, many prison systems actually worsen their condition.
This reality is reflected clearly in recidivism rates—the rate at which people return to prison after being released. In societies where the criminal justice system is more punitive and prison conditions are harsher, recidivism rates are much higher. The United States is a clear example. It has one of the highest recidivism rates in the world, and this is closely connected to the nature of its prison system. American prisons are largely run by private companies, which creates incentives for worse conditions, longer sentences, and more incarceration—not for rehabilitation.
By contrast, countries like Finland and other Nordic nations take a fundamentally different approach. Their prison systems are built around rehabilitation and restoration rather than punishment. As a result, their recidivism rates are dramatically lower. When people are treated with dignity, when their basic needs are met, and when the goal is reintegration rather than destruction, they are far less likely to return to prison. This produces not only better outcomes for individuals but a safer and healthier society overall.
Ultimately, we need to begin envisioning a society where prisons have no place at all. As they currently operate, prisons do not work. They do not do what we claim they are meant to do. If the goal is to make society livable and safe, simply putting people away is not the solution.
What we actually need to do is address the root causes of crime. Crime does not emerge in a vacuum. Its roots lie in poverty, inequality, and the denial of basic rights. The more people are denied access to education, housing, healthcare, dignity, and opportunity, the higher the rate of crime will be. In that sense, what truly needs rehabilitation is not the individual alone, but society itself. The system is what is broken.
When people are placed in violent and dehumanizing prison environments, they often end up joining gangs simply for protection. In doing so, they become more deeply embedded in criminal networks. They leave prison more connected to crime than when they entered, often committing worse offenses and returning for longer sentences. This cycle is not accidental—it is produced by the system.
When people feel that they must join gangs to survive, it is a sign that something is fundamentally wrong with society. A system that relies on cages instead of care, punishment instead of prevention, and control instead of justice is not a system designed for human consideration. Until we address that reality, prisons will continue to fail—because they are failing for exactly the reasons they were built the way they are.