Across the world, there are more than 11 million people behind bars – a significant number that continues to grow. The main purposes of imprisonment are to protect society from crime and to prevent reoffending. Prisons do this by ensuring safe, secure and humane custody and by preparing prisoners for their re-entry into society.
Yet prison systems around the globe face fundamental challenges that undermine their ability to fulfil those objectives: overcrowding and poor prison conditions, insufficient resources and capacities, violence and abuse as well as systemic neglect.
What happens in prisons affects all of us. The need for change is urgent.
The need for change
UNODC provides technical assistance in over 50 Member States to:
In addition, UNODC continuously assists Member States in developing universally recognized standards related to prison and offender management. Currently, work is underway to develop model strategies on reducing reoffending.
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What happens to people in the course of imprisonment affects all of us. On Nelson Mandela Day each year, UNODC calls on people around the world to raise their voices to say that #PrisonersMatter, and to call for the universal practical application of the Nelson Mandela Rules.
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The UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners – known as the Nelson Mandela Rules – provide the universally recognised blueprint for sound prison management and minimum prison conditions. We offer a free and practice-oriented e-learning course on these rules for those working in prisons. Find out more
Between 2018 and 2022, a joint initiative of the United Nations and the European Union supported Kazakhstan, Tunisia and Uganda to address the risk of radicalization to violence in prisons. This report summarizes the program’s key achievements. Read the report
A well-designed and managed classification process is a cornerstone of an effective prison system, fundamental to the protection of human rights, the ability to individualize case and sentence planning and the efficient use of limited resources. This handbook is part of the criminal justice handbook series. Read the handbook
Five years ago, Nurlan was sentenced and sent to a prison in the northern part of Kazakhstan. Today, through a vocational program supported by UNODC, Nurlan’s life has changed. “I’ve got a family and a son waiting for me at home, and I think it’s only a matter of time before I get home and see them.” Watch or read Nurlan’s story
Perfectly foamed milk. A bittersweet tang on the palate. A perfect cappuccino? It’s more than that. This particular cup was carefully prepared by Denny, an inmate in Tangerang prison, Jakarta, who joined a UN-supported training programme aimed at helping prisoners to re-integrate into society after serving time. Read Denny's story
“In the past we were mostly just supervising and controlling our clients, and I can clearly see that there were no results.” Atyrgul, Elizat and Aitolkun are three officers of the Probation Department of the Kyrgyz Republic. Here they share how their roles - and their clients' lives - have changed following UNODC's support of the country's new Probation Department. Read their stories
