FOREWORD Foreword The daily life of a prison is a mirror reflection of society, as Nelson Mandela said in 1998: ‘The way that a society treats its prisoners is one of the sharpest reflections of its character.’ The 2019 edition of Global Prison Trends, produced by Penal Reform International and the Thailand Institute of Justice, highlights the following issues within prisons systems: overcrowding; a lack of effective programmes for rehabilitation and reintegration; an emphasis on security above all; insufficient staff and low wages; the influence of criminal subcultures; the vulnerable position of women, children, the elderly, prisoners with disabilities and ethnic and racial minorities; insufficient or ineffective application of alternative measures to imprisonment; and violent extremism and radicalisation in prisons. Within Global Prison Trends 2019, the chapter on prison management deserves special attention. Prison management should be implemented by well-trained and professional staff, and the human rights of prisoners should be respected, including the right to non-discrimination. There should be safe conditions for all members of the prison, opportunities for constructive dialogue with society, transparency, and accountability. In many countries, work in prisons is menial and low-paid, and is not seen as an opportunity to gain skills for future employment. In prison management, women are not afforded equal status and many prisons still cannot provide staff with decent and acceptable working conditions. 2 | The right to healthcare that is accessible, acceptable, high quality and safe is an inalienable human right, and is the subject of this edition’s Special Focus. Article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and Rule 24 of the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules) oblige states to provide prisoners with medical care in case of health problems, and to not discriminate against offenders because of their status as prisoners. Each prison should make efforts to ensure that prisoners are treated by qualified medical personnel and are provided with appropriate medicines and healthcare services. Vulnerable categories of prisoners – such as women, children, the elderly and people with disabilities – need additional guarantees of access to medical care. The aim of Goal 3 of the Sustainable Development Goals – agreed by United Nations member states in 2015 – is to ‘ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages’ by 2030. Thus, by ensuring appropriate prison health services and the well-being of those in custody, prisons have an important role in promoting the health of some of the most disadvantaged people in society and in contributing to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 3. the spread of infectious diseases and act as a catalyst for the destabilisation of prisons. The UN Standard Minimum Rules for Non-custodial Measures (the Tokyo Rules) call on states to use alternative measures to imprisonment more widely, taking into account the political, economic, social and cultural conditions of each country, as well as the goals and objectives of its criminal justice system. Alternative measures enable offenders to avoid the negative consequences of imprisonment. In many parts of the world, alternative measures are still at a developmental stage and greater collaboration and cooperation is needed to ensure their effectiveness. Cholpon Askerbekovna Omurkanova Chair of the Public Council of the State Service of Execution of Punishment under the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic In most countries, preference is still given to imprisonment, including for minor offences. The consequence of this policy is the criminalisation of high numbers of people, as well as prison overcrowding – which can increase Penal Reform International and Thailand Institute of Justice | Global Prison Trends 2019