Through the Netflix series, I’ve been able to see various prison systems from around the world. It’s fascinating how differently prisons are run, but at the same time, it’s shocking and frustrating. How can prisons be so vastly different in their approaches, and how is it possible that such extreme disparities exist in how prisoners are treated?
Take Germany, for example. At first glance, their system seems relatively mild, but then you see a prisoner who has been incarcerated since he was 17 and might not be released until he’s 60. He no longer believes in his own release. That alone is shocking: when someone completely loses hope, what’s left? It’s bizarre to realize that this is the reality for many long-term inmates.
Then there’s South Africa, where the Number Gangs control the prisons. In the episode, the presenter immediately gets his shoes stolen upon arrival. The prisoner who steals them casually says, “Yeah, that’s mine size buddy.” Newcomers are put in their place right away, forced to wash everyone’s clothes because they have no choice until they join one of the gangs. They have no identity until they align with the 26, 27, or 28. These power dynamics don’t arise out of nowhere; they’re a direct result of a flawed prison policy. The guards are too scared of conflicts and lack the resources to maintain control. Weapons and drugs enter easily, and there are no daily checks. In such conditions, prisons inevitably create an atmosphere where gangs thrive, and prisoners have no choice but to join them.
Indonesia, on the other hand, has a completely different approach. Everything there revolves around spiritual redemption and self-reflection. Inmates are forced to participate in therapy sessions and are required to confront their mistakes. The goal seems almost like brainwashing: prisoners are expected to change their behavior through intense reflection. What stood out the most to me was that someone could receive 8 years in prison for possessing a small bag of weed. No violence, no disruption of public order, just smoking some weed and having 10-15 grams at home. Eight years for that? It feels so disproportionate, especially compared to other countries.
And then there’s America, where prisons weren’t even featured in the series yet, but where we already know the sentences are extremely harsh. When prisoners are released, they’re left to fend for themselves. You can’t even rent a house because you served time for a drug-related crime 13 years ago. In theory, you’d think, “You’ve served your sentence, why aren’t you free in society yet?” It’s truly bizarre. The way the American system continues to punish ex-convicts ensures that they repeat the same mistakes over and over again. A system like the one in the Netherlands, where inmates are released earlier and given a second chance, seems much more effective in the long run. In America, you can still get a 500-year sentence, which is just absurd. Hopefully, Europe will get this right, and one day America can simply copy and paste.