Second chances – Five takeaways from the UN General Assembly debate on global prison challenges

In this blog, PRI’s Executive Director Olivia Rope reflects on the urgent need for meaningful prison reform, drawing on her recent participation at the United Nations General Assembly session marking ten years of the Nelson Mandela Rules. Amid growing global instability and rising prison populations, Olivia outlines five key reflections in shaping reform. Her analysis is focused on the need for evidence-based action to uphold human dignity, even in the most challenging contexts.

Earlier this month, I had the honour of speaking on behalf of Penal Reform International at a high-level session at the United Nations General Assembly marking the tenth anniversary of the Nelson Mandela Rules. The theme—“A second chance: addressing the global prison challenge”—could not have been more urgent. 

We are living through a time of deep global instability. Armed conflicts are intensifying. Inequality is growing. And in the midst of it all, prison populations are rising. But we also have powerful international standards and decades of evidence on what works. 

So, what’s holding us back? 

Here are five reflections from the debate—and from Penal Reform International’s work—that help answer this question: 

1. Expansion of real alternatives to imprisonment, particularly in the global south, is not the law – it’s lack of implementation  

As the President of the UN General Assembly, Philémon Yang, stated in the opening of the Session, “incarceration remains the default response to crime—non-custodials are underused and underdeveloped.”  Globally, more people are under community sanctions than in prison—but this varies dramatically by region, as documented in Global Prison Trends 2025. In the Global South, non-custodial measures are still underutilised, while in some countries in the Global North, excessive conditions and surveillance create a new form of punishment-by-stealth.  

Most jurisdictions’ laws foresee and allow for non-custodial sanctions. The legal frameworks are there. We also have global standards—from the Tokyo Rules to the Bangkok Rules—and countless models of what works. What’s missing is investment, coordination, and trust by the judiciary. The systems often exist on paper; they just aren’t fully activated. 

2. Strong, well-resourced probation systems should be at the centre of justice reform.  

Compared to prisons, probation systems are cheaper, more humane, and more effective in rebuilding lives. It’s time to stop building prisons and start building alternatives that work.

For instance, we heard that since 2020, Kyrgyzstan’s newly established probation system has shown that with strong political commitment and international cooperation, meaningful and sustainable reductions in imprisonment are possible. According to the Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, the country has achieved a 23% drop in the overall prison population and a 28% reduction in pre-trial detention over the past five years. He stated that overcrowding is no longer an issue, and some of their largest prisons are been repurposed as social housing facilities, signalling a transformative shift in how justice and social reintegration are approached. 

For women, there are structural barriers in accessing gender-sensitive alternatives to imprisonment, with most systems still designed around male experiences and needs. As the number of women in prison continues to rise globally, addressing this gendered neglect must be a priority for justice reform efforts. 

3. Politics, not safety, often drives imprisonment rates up.

One of the greatest barriers to reducing prison populations is the politicisation of crime. “Tough on crime” rhetoric continues to dominate, criminalising poverty, drug use, and status. Many people are imprisoned for behaviours linked to inequality—like low-level theft or homelessness—rather than real threats to public safety. This punitive overreach especially affects poor, racialised, and marginalised communities. And it contributes directly to overcrowding, which only worsens violence and gang control inside prisons. 

Drug policy remains central to the global prison crisis. An estimated 2.5 million people are imprisoned for drug-related offences—nearly half a million of them for simple possession alone. Where non-custodial options are lacking, prisons continue to fill with individuals whose needs are better addressed through health and social support. As the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has noted, criminalisation has failed to reduce drug use or related harm. Encouragingly, at least 66 jurisdictions have adopted some form of decriminalisation, and evaluations increasingly show these reforms do not lead to increased use. Countries like Morocco have gone further, granting mass pardons for drug-related offences. These developments point to a growing global shift toward evidence-based, health-centred approaches that support reintegration—not punishment. 

4. Implementing the Mandela Rules in conflict settings: Challenging, but possible

While conflict and instability pose serious challenges, the implementation of the UN Nelson Mandela Rules and the Bangkok Rules is still achievable, even in the most difficult contexts. In Sudan, PRI has trained local partners to deliver essential health and mental health support in prisons. In Yemen, we have helped establish 10 prison clinics and supported responses to disease outbreaks, improving conditions despite ongoing insecurity. In Northern Uganda, our holistic work with women in refugee-hosting communities combines legal aid, parenting programmes, and mental health support—transforming lives in fragile settings.  

The key to success lies in local leadership, strong community partnerships, and a steadfast commitment to dignity. As the delegate from Ukraine highlighted, even amid war, progress is possible. Their reforms in probation and prison systems continue, recognising that strong justice institutions are essential to building safer, more resilient societies. 

5. The role of the United Nations in addressing this global challenge is critical 

To truly address the global prison challenge, we need bold leadership, practical investment, and stronger coordination across the UN system.  Justice Edwin Cameron recalled in his remarks to the General Assembly that ten years ago the Mandela Rules were a “product of an extraordinary process that shows what the UN and GA can achieve.” They provide the blueprint for humane and dignified detention conditions, at the least the minimum. 

PRI calls for stronger efforts to see implementation of the UN Common Position on Incarceration, including monitoring of progress and establishing the Information Hub committed to.  

One resounding message was that the involvement of people with lived experience as experts is essential to any meaningful reform. This approach ensures justice system reforms are going to be more effective as they are grounded in reality. 

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As the head of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime reminded delegates, Prisons are “underfunded, under prioritised and undervalued”, but she warned “we cannot afford to look away”, not least because of the impact outside of prisons.  

Even in war, even in poverty—dignity of people in prison and in conflict with the law must be ensured.