Prison should not be an extra punishment. A prison sentence already holds someone accountable and protects society by taking away their freedom—but people in prison still retain their human rights.
Sadly, too many prisons fall short of even the most basic standards. Staff are often under-trained or under-resourced, making it hard to supervise and support people in a way that respects their dignity and rights.
The conditions inside a prison have a huge impact on a person’s self-esteem, health, and future. Humane conditions help people engage with rehabilitation and rebuild their lives. Harsh or unsafe conditions, by contrast, leave people damaged—mentally, physically, and emotionally—and increase the risk of violence inside prisons.
Overcrowding is a widespread problem: Although calculation methods vary, around 120 jurisdictions detain people in overcrowded conditions. In 23 of these jurisdictions, prison populations exceed double the official capacity. This leads to violence, poor healthcare, and limited opportunities for rehabilitation. Chronic underfunding and overly harsh sentencing often leave people living in unsafe, unsanitary conditions that violate their rights and make disease more likely to spread.
States bear a heightened obligation towards people in prison because when they deprive someone of their liberty, they assume a duty of care. States are also obliged to ensure that detainees are treated humanely. This includes providing adequate accommodation, food and water, sanitation and healthcare, access to light, fresh air and exercise. There are international standards relating to clothing and bedding, contact with the outside world and access to legal representation. Rules regulating the prison regime cover discipline and punishment and instruments of restraint to ensure fair and equal treatment and safeguard against abuse and arbitrary application. There are also specific standards which address the needs of particular groups, such as women and children.