There is one outdated assumption that quietly still inhabits our correctional system: that punishment is the final goal. We often feel that the state’s duty is complete simply by locking someone behind high walls, then leaving the rest to fate and time. In fact, this assumption is not only mistaken, but also socially and economically costly.
Every prisoner who is released without mental transformation and skills is merely a postponed social problem.
The Gap Between Concept and Reality
Philosophically, our modern correctional system aims to foster and rehabilitate, not merely to punish or isolate. However, between concept and practice in the field, there is a wide gap. Rehabilitation programs are often trapped in formality. Training programs exist, but are frequently irrelevant to labor market needs. Mental development programs are also often ceremonial in nature, without deep psychological engagement.
The consequences are severe: recidivism.
Without changes in mindset and adequate skills, prisons instead become “schools of crime” where prisoners expand networks and refine their criminal capacities.
Aligning with Asta Cita
The Asta Cita vision of Prabowo Subianto emphasizes strengthening human resources and legal reform. If we are truly serious about achieving economic independence and social justice, then prison reform can no longer remain a second-class priority. Transforming prisons from places of punishment into places of recovery is key to reducing the burden on the state caused by repeated criminality.
We can learn from countries that have successfully broken the cycle of crime:
- Norway: Focuses on restorative justice and humane relationships between officers and prisoners, resulting in one of the lowest recidivism rates in the world.
- Germany and Japan: Integrate prisons with industry so that prisoners gain work ethics and technical skills with high economic value.
- Netherlands: Builds reintegration systems involving society and the private sector, enabling former prisoners to access housing and employment.
Steps Toward Transformation
To realize a humane and productive correctional model in line with the spirit of Asta Cita, several fundamental steps are non-negotiable:
Psychological Mental Reform: Replace routine lectures with modern psychological approaches that touch self-awareness and the meaning of life.
Industry Link and Match: Skills training in prisons must be based on local market needs and directly connected with industry sectors so prisoners can immediately enter the workforce after release.
Eliminating Stigma & Reintegration: Society must be involved as part of the solution. Stigma is a “second wall” higher than the prison itself. Without public acceptance, all rehabilitation efforts inside prisons will be futile.
Changing the Officers’ Paradigm: Correctional officers must transform from merely being “guards” into “facilitators of change.”
Classic obstacles such as overcrowding and rigid bureaucratic culture are indeed real. However, the success of a correctional institution should no longer be measured by how strong its walls are, but by how many people are successfully restored into whole human beings.
A state is tested not by its ability to punish, but by its ability to rehabilitate.
This is the time to prove that Asta Cita is also present in illuminating the dark spaces behind prison bars.
