PRISON REFORM

The American prison system is not broken—it works exactly as designed. Built on punitive principles rather than rehabilitation, it traps millions in a cycle of incarceration that serves neither the individual nor society. This is the result of deliberate policies: harsh sentencing laws, mandatory minimums, and cash bail systems that criminalize poverty. Once inside, inmates face overcrowded facilities, inadequate healthcare, and few opportunities for education or skill-building. Upon release, they encounter barriers to employment, housing, and even voting, guaranteeing that many will return to prison.

Privately run prisons turn human suffering into revenue streams, incentivizing longer sentences and higher incarceration rates. Corporations like CoreCivic and GEO Group, which manage private prisons across the country, make billions while cutting costs on food, healthcare, and rehabilitation programs. The more people imprisoned, the higher their profits. This perverse incentive prioritizes the wrong thing. It is not about justice; it is about money.

Incarceration severs families, isolates individuals from their communities, and inflicts lasting trauma. A study from the National Institute of Justice found that 83% of released prisoners are rearrested within nine years because they are released into a society that offers no real path forward. Without education, employment opportunities, mental health care, or social support, many find themselves back where they started. Prisons, in their current form, do not correct behavior—they reinforce despair.

Recidivism rates plummet when inmates receive education, job training, and mental health support. According to RAND Corporation, inmates who participate in educational programs are 43% less likely to return to prison. Reform does not mean ignoring harm—it means addressing it in ways that actually work, rather than perpetuating suffering under the false banner of justice.

Incarceration costs U.S. taxpayers over $80 billion annually. Redirecting even a fraction of that money toward education, housing, and healthcare reduce crime and strengthen communities. Every dollar spent on rehabilitation returns multiple dollars in reduced crime and increased productivity. Prisons, as they stand, are fiscally irresponsible.

Norway’s prison system focuses on rehabilitation rather than punishment. Inmates live in humane conditions, receive education and job training, and participate in restorative justice programs. The result? Norway has one of the lowest recidivism rates globally, around 20%, compared to the U.S.’s 70%. In Germany, prisons emphasize dignity and reintegration, treating inmates as citizens rather than criminals. These countries recognize that public safety is best achieved by addressing the root causes of crime—poverty, lack of opportunity, untreated trauma—rather than by locking people away.

True prison reform dismantles the structures that turn incarceration into profit. It prioritizes prevention over punishment, education over isolation, and community healing over state violence. It means abolishing private prisons, ending cash bail, expanding access to legal representation, and ensuring that no one is imprisoned for poverty or nonviolent offenses. It recognizes that people are more than the worst thing they have ever done and that justice without compassion is no justice at all.

Therefore, under Folklaw:

The prison system shall prioritize rehabilitation, education, and reintegration. Private prisons shall be outlawed, with all correctional facilities operated by public institutions accountable to the communities they serve. Sentencing laws shall be restructured to eliminate mandatory minimums, cash bail, and excessive punishments for nonviolent offenses.

Reentry programs providing education, job training, housing assistance, and mental health support shall be fully funded, so that those leaving prison have a chance at a stable, dignified life