Corrections_Today_Spring_2026_Vol.88_No.1

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governments have relinquished con trol of some prisons to gangs. (Oddly, some government officials in El Salva dor, Guatemala, and Honduras blame the US for the gang violence within their borders). Considering his experiences in prisons in Latin America and around the globe, what are Dr. Coyle’s obser vations of correctional facilities here in the United States? “Canada and the United States: 35 years of progress?” a subchapter of Chapter 3, gives an idea of Dr. Coyle’ impression of correc tions practices in the U.S. Dr. Coyle also posits that Western Europe and North America developed the concept of incarcerating convicted miscre ants in prisons apart from the general population. The United States also allows capital punishment, which is abhorrent to some countries in the industrialized world. Offering solutions Readers of Prisons of the World will be relieved that, while Dr. Coyne offers criticisms of many cor rectional practices, such as capital punishment, he also presents solu tions. In his concluding chapter, Dr. Coyle presents shorter-term and longer-term solutions to the her culean challenges faced by prison administrators and staff, as the incarcerated population worldwide continues to climb. Dr. Coyle posits Justice Reinvest ment, a shorter-term solution which focuses on channeling financial re sources from building more prisons to investing in prevention resources in local communities from which incarcerated people hail. Dr. Coyle cites initiatives from the UK, the

Oregon Department of Corrections in the 1990s, and the Connecticut Department of Corrections in the early 2000s. These initiatives took a proactive approach to crime prevention by channeling financial and other resources into communi ties and neighborhoods with high crime rates. Another hallmark of Justice Reinvestment is that individuals found guilty of crimes related to substance abuse are best served by spending time in a reha bilitation center. Justice Reinvestment is a short term solution to the problems of prisons of the world. Dr. Coyle offers the Human Development approach as a long-term alternative to mass incarceration In 2012, the United Nations established Sus tainable Development Goals that place justice alongside other goals related to health, poverty, education and productive employment. SDGs evidence that criminal justice isn’t separate from these other societal challenges: These elements are all inter-related. Dr. Coyle states a proactive, community-centered ap proach is more financially efficacious than is a reactive, criminal-justice centered approach. Here in the United States, Justice Reinvestment and Human Devel opment are concepts with which we correctional professionals are aware. An important question is this: To what extent have Justice Reinvestment and Human Develop ment initiatives been successful in cities, states/provinces, and coun tries where these efforts have been launched? Answers to this question would make an interesting sequel to Prisons of the World. CT

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