Can the U.S. Make Prisons More Rehabilitative? Here's a Major Test Case

In Norway prison cells are considered private property, incarcerated people are allowed to leave prison and return in short spans, and wardens do not carry guns. These practices, among others, are in an effort to treat incarcerated people humanely and help prevent recidivism, escape attempts, and violence.

California is taking a new approach to reducing recidivism, known as The California Model, by providing people who are incarcerated with rehabilitative and educational programming.

As a part of the Scandinavian Prison Project, a section of the Pennsylvania state prison was remodeled to house fewer people who are incarcerated and include things like a common area, kitchen, and even a fish tank. The community orientation includes the staff, of which the ratio is higher than other sections of the prison, who are specially trained for the program. The effort aims to reduce recidivism rates and make prisons safer and more effective based on successful models from Scandinavian countries.

The Prisoner Correspondence Project connects LGBTQ2S+ people who are incarcerated in the United States and Canada with pen pals who are not incarcerated. The consistent communication helps combat isolation and improve mental health and rehabilitation outcomes.

In some states, cash bail has been eliminated and this measure has seen significant results including lower jail populations, lower re-offense rates for people released on bonds and less jail time for those accused of low-level crimes. These results in states with bail reform laws suggest that bail reform works and serves as inspiration for other states looking to enact similar policies.

The Sanganer open prison serves as an important alternative to traditional incarceration in India by remaining open for 12 hours a day and allowing inmates to go out. It is one of 88 open prisons in India that works on a model of reform and helps inmates to keep their connection with work, family, and society. In doing so, it enables the development of trust as well as skills that can help them not just during incarceration but also after release.

Little Scandinavia is a pilot project at a Pennsylvania correctional institution that adopts Norway and Sweden's humane and rehabilitative approach to incarceration. The unit emphasizes dignity, normalized living conditions — like the ability to cook and call family members — and dynamic relationships between staff and incarcerated individuals. Early outcomes show improvements in inmate and staff well-being and reduced violence.

The American Prison Writing Archive hosts almost 4,000 pieces of writing by people who are incarcerated. It offers a glimpse into the system that is not usually available to the public, a critical outlet for writers, and a social connection to the rest of the world.

As a part of the National Bail Out effort in the United States, the Free Black Mamas DMV campaign bails incarcerated women out of jails in the Washington D.C. area in time for Mother’s Day.

Coaches from Northern Illinois University's Project FLEX program facilitate sports matches at youth prisons a few times a week to improve recidivism rates. During huddles, the coaches combine sports with psychology-based lessons to emphasize positive skills and strengths.