The exclusion of people from society though imprisonment often exacerbates existing inequality problems and hinders reintegration following the completion of the sentence. This leads to high recidivism rates. In June, SPUI25 explored the future of imprisonment through alternatives to traditional incarceration.

Commentators are increasingly calling for alternative sanctions, such as electronic ankle bracelets. But do such measures enable participation in society, or are they merely another form of exclusion?

Legal philosopher and ACCJ Researcher Hadassa Noorda developed the concept of exprisonment for these forms of punishment: imprisonment outside of prison. Alternatives to prison sentences are often assessed within legal and philosophical frameworks that justify exclusion and grant convicts only minimal rights to participate in society. Breaking with these traditional approaches, Noorda develops a theory of habilitative imprisonment, in which the goal of punishment is not exclusion, but rather the integration and habilitation of individuals within society. This approach sheds new light on the objectives of prison sentences and has far-reaching consequences for the millions of people worldwide who are affected by criminal law.