Behind Prison Walls — Human Dignity, Human Rights and the Sustainable Development Goals
Examining the Responsibility of Justice Systems to Protect Prisoners, Prevent Abuse and Build a Path Towards Rehabilitation and Social Reintegration
The provided text examines the treatment of incarcerated individuals through the analytical lens of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, emphasizing that confinement should restrict only personal liberty rather than strip away human dignity and fundamental rights. It argues that justice systems bear a profound institutional responsibility to ensure the rule of law, safety, adequate healthcare, education, and non-discrimination within detention facilities. Drawing on international standards alongside domestic concerns such as Croatian prison overcrowding, the source highlights that true community safety depends on effective rehabilitation and social reintegration rather than mere punishment. Ultimately, the writing asserts that state accountability, institutional transparency, and human rights protection must extend behind prison walls to foster a genuinely sustainable society.
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Introduction — A Society Is Also Defined by How It Treats Its Prisoners
How Justice, Equality, Healthcare, Education and Institutional Accountability Define the Treatment of People Deprived of Their Liberty
The treatment of prisoners is one of the most revealing measures of a society's commitment to human rights, justice and democratic values. While public attention often focuses on criminal offences, punishment, public safety and the rights of victims, considerably less attention is sometimes given to the conditions in which people serve their sentences and the responsibilities of the institutions holding them.
Prisons are frequently regarded as places separated from ordinary society. Their walls, security systems, restricted access and limited transparency create an environment in which the everyday lives of prisoners are largely invisible to the general public. Yet imprisonment does not remove a person's humanity, nor does it eliminate the fundamental rights that every individual possesses.
A prison sentence is a judicial restriction of personal liberty. It is not a general authorisation to inflict suffering, humiliation, discrimination or neglect. A person convicted of a crime remains entitled to protection against torture, adequate healthcare, humane living conditions, access to legal assistance and opportunities for personal development.
This distinction is fundamental. The purpose of a functioning justice system should not be limited to removing offenders from society. It must also protect society, uphold the rule of law, prevent further violence and create conditions that make rehabilitation and successful reintegration possible.
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, provide a useful framework for examining these responsibilities. Although the SDGs do not contain a separate goal specifically dedicated to prisoners, several targets are directly relevant to their treatment.
The most important is SDG 16 — Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, supported by SDG 3 on health, SDG 4 on education, SDG 10 on reducing inequalities and other goals addressing gender equality, sanitation, decent work and poverty.
Together, these objectives provide a broader understanding of what justice should mean behind prison walls.
The central question is not whether people who have committed crimes should be held accountable. They should. The question is whether accountability can coexist with dignity, proportionality, fundamental rights and the possibility of change.
The answer must be yes.
1. SDG 16 — Justice, Human Rights and Institutional Accountability
SDG 16 is the most important framework for examining the relationship between the state and people deprived of their liberty. Its ambition is to promote peaceful and inclusive societies, provide access to justice for all and establish effective, accountable and transparent institutions.
These principles are particularly important in prisons because prisoners are entirely dependent on public institutions for their security, accommodation, food, healthcare and access to many essential services.
Unlike people living outside detention facilities, prisoners cannot freely choose where to live, obtain alternative accommodation, independently arrange medical appointments or simply leave an unsafe environment. The state therefore assumes an unusually high level of responsibility for their well-being.
SDG 16.3 — Rule of Law and Equal Access to Justice
The first essential principle is the rule of law.
SDG Target 16.3 calls for the promotion of the rule of law at national and international levels and equal access to justice for everyone.
This obligation does not end when someone enters prison.
Prisoners must be able to access legal assistance, challenge unlawful decisions, submit complaints and receive fair treatment in disciplinary proceedings. They must also be protected against arbitrary restrictions and discriminatory administrative practices.
An important distinction must be made between convicted prisoners and people held in pre-trial detention. The latter have not necessarily been found guilty of an offence and retain the presumption of innocence.
The UN recognises the proportion of unsentenced detainees within the overall prison population as an indicator under SDG 16.3. This demonstrates that the functioning of detention systems, including the use and duration of pre-trial detention, is an important aspect of access to justice.
Excessive pre-trial detention, unnecessarily prolonged proceedings and limited access to legal representation can undermine fundamental rights even before a criminal case reaches its conclusion.
Justice must therefore be measured not only by the number of convictions or the severity of sentences, but also by procedural fairness, judicial independence and the ability of individuals to defend their rights.
SDG 16.1 — Reducing Violence and Protecting People in Detention
SDG Target 16.1 seeks to significantly reduce all forms of violence and related deaths everywhere.
Although this target addresses violence across society rather than prison conditions specifically, its principles are clearly relevant to detention facilities.
Prisons must be safe environments for prisoners, prison employees and visitors. Violence between prisoners, physical abuse by staff, sexual violence, intimidation and degrading treatment are incompatible with a justice system based on human rights.
A prison administration has an obligation to prevent foreseeable violence, investigate allegations and provide effective protection to those at risk.
This responsibility is particularly important for vulnerable prisoners, including people with disabilities, individuals experiencing mental health difficulties, members of minority groups and those exposed to threats or exploitation.
The existence of security procedures alone is not sufficient. Institutions must demonstrate that their policies work in practice.
Preventing violence also requires proper staff training, appropriate staffing levels, independent monitoring and reliable mechanisms for reporting misconduct.
A prison cannot claim to uphold justice if violence becomes an accepted part of its internal culture.
SDG 16.6 — Effective, Accountable and Transparent Institutions
SDG Target 16.6 calls for effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.
This target is especially important because prisons are closed institutions with considerable authority over individuals who have limited opportunities to defend themselves.
Institutional accountability means that prison authorities must be able to explain their decisions, maintain accurate records, investigate complaints and accept independent scrutiny.
Transparency should include information about overcrowding, staffing levels, healthcare availability, deaths in custody, disciplinary measures, use of solitary confinement and access to rehabilitation programmes.
Independent inspection bodies and national human rights institutions play a particularly important role.
Without external monitoring, serious problems can remain hidden for years. A complaint mechanism that exists only on paper is not an effective safeguard.
Accountability must also extend to individual misconduct. When officials abuse their authority, conceal evidence or fail to protect prisoners, appropriate investigations and consequences must follow.
The credibility of a justice system depends not only on its ability to hold citizens accountable, but also on its willingness to hold its own institutions accountable.
SDG 16.10 — Fundamental Freedoms and Access to Information
SDG Target 16.10 concerns public access to information and the protection of fundamental freedoms.
In the prison context, this principle supports the transparency of detention systems and the ability of prisoners to communicate with legal representatives, oversight institutions and other authorised bodies.
The public also has a legitimate interest in understanding how prisons operate, how public resources are spent and whether the state fulfils its obligations.
Independent journalism, human rights organisations, parliamentary oversight and public reporting can help expose institutional failures.
Prisoners should not become invisible simply because they are behind walls.
2. SDG 3 — Health, Mental Well-Being and Access to Medical Care
Healthcare is one of the most fundamental responsibilities of prison administrations.
Imprisonment does not suspend a person's right to health. In fact, detention can create additional health risks because prisoners live in controlled environments where access to medical services depends heavily on institutional decisions.
SDG 3 seeks to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all people at every age.
SDG 3.8 — Access to Quality Healthcare
Target 3.8 calls for universal health coverage, including access to quality essential healthcare services.
For prisoners, this means access to medical treatment without discrimination based on their legal status.
People in detention may have chronic illnesses, untreated injuries, infectious diseases, disabilities or other conditions requiring continuous medical attention.
Prison authorities must ensure that medical examinations, appropriate medication, specialist treatment and emergency healthcare are available when necessary.
The UN Nelson Mandela Rules explicitly state that providing healthcare to prisoners is a responsibility of the state. They also establish that prisoners should enjoy the same standards of healthcare available in the community.
This principle is essential because people in prison cannot independently arrange treatment when institutional healthcare services fail.
Medical professionals must also be able to exercise independent clinical judgement. Security considerations should never be used to override legitimate medical decisions.
SDG 3.4 — Mental Health and Well-Being
Mental health deserves particular attention.
Imprisonment can produce isolation, anxiety, depression, uncertainty and psychological distress. The loss of freedom, separation from family, exposure to violence and uncertainty about the future can have significant consequences.
Some prisoners enter detention with pre-existing mental health conditions. Others develop psychological difficulties during imprisonment.
Target 3.4 addresses mental health and well-being, including the prevention of premature mortality from non-communicable diseases.
Within prisons, its principles support access to psychological assistance, psychiatric treatment, suicide prevention and appropriate support for individuals experiencing emotional distress.
Solitary confinement deserves particular scrutiny.
The Nelson Mandela Rules define solitary confinement as confinement for 22 hours or more per day without meaningful human contact. Prolonged solitary confinement is defined as lasting more than 15 consecutive days.
The rules prohibit prolonged solitary confinement and require that its use be exceptional, limited and subject to independent review.
Isolation should never become a convenient substitute for appropriate healthcare, conflict prevention or adequate staffing.
SDG 3.5 — Prevention and Treatment of Substance Abuse
Substance dependency is another important issue in detention.
Some prisoners have histories of alcohol or drug dependency and require structured treatment rather than punishment alone.
Target 3.5 addresses the prevention and treatment of substance abuse.
Prison healthcare systems should provide appropriate medical assistance, psychological support and rehabilitation programmes. Continuity of care after release is equally important.
Without treatment, people may return to the same circumstances that contributed to their offending behaviour, increasing the risk of relapse and reoffending.
Healthcare in prison should therefore be connected to the broader public healthcare system.
3. SDG 4 — Education, Personal Development and Rehabilitation
Education is one of the strongest instruments available to reduce social exclusion and support successful reintegration.
A prison sentence should not automatically mean the end of a person's educational or professional development.
SDG 4 promotes inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for everyone.
SDG 4.3 — Access to Education and Training
Target 4.3 promotes equal access to affordable and quality technical, vocational and higher education.
Prisoners should have meaningful opportunities to continue their education, acquire qualifications and develop practical skills.
Educational programmes can include literacy, mathematics, language learning, digital skills, vocational training and other forms of professional development.
Such programmes are particularly important for people who experienced educational disadvantage before entering prison.
Access to education should be based on individual needs and opportunities rather than assumptions about a person's background or criminal history.
SDG 4.4 — Skills for Employment
Target 4.4 focuses on increasing the number of young people and adults with relevant skills for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship.
This is directly relevant to rehabilitation.
People leaving prison frequently face significant barriers to employment. A criminal record, interrupted work history, limited qualifications and social stigma can make finding a job extremely difficult.
Vocational training, professional qualifications and practical work experience can help address these barriers.
However, training must be relevant to the labour market. Offering outdated or meaningless activities simply to occupy prisoners' time does little to improve their prospects.
Education should provide genuine opportunities for independence.
Rehabilitation is not about pretending that an offence never happened. It is about helping individuals develop the skills, knowledge and personal responsibility necessary to avoid repeating harmful behaviour.
4. SDG 10 — Equality, Non-Discrimination and Social Inclusion
Prisoners are among the groups most exposed to social exclusion.
Many have experienced poverty, inadequate education, unstable housing, unemployment, discrimination or other forms of disadvantage before imprisonment.
These circumstances do not excuse criminal conduct, but they demonstrate why punishment alone cannot address all the factors associated with offending.
SDG 10 seeks to reduce inequality within and among countries.
SDG 10.3 — Equal Opportunities and Non-Discrimination
Target 10.3 promotes equal opportunity and the reduction of inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices.
Prisoners must be protected from discrimination based on gender, disability, ethnicity, religion, language, nationality, sexual orientation or other personal characteristics.
Equal treatment does not always mean identical treatment.
Some individuals require additional assistance because of disabilities, medical conditions, language barriers or other specific needs.
Reasonable accommodation and appropriate support are necessary to ensure that everyone can exercise their rights effectively.
Discrimination within prisons can take many forms, including unequal access to healthcare, education, employment, rehabilitation programmes or protection from violence.
A fair institution must identify and address these inequalities.
SDG 10.2 — Social Inclusion and Reintegration
Target 10.2 calls for the empowerment and promotion of the social, economic and political inclusion of all people.
This principle becomes particularly important when prisoners prepare for release.
Successful reintegration requires more than opening the prison gates.
People leaving detention may need accommodation, employment assistance, healthcare, psychological support, documentation, family counselling and help rebuilding social relationships.
Without such support, individuals can become trapped in cycles of exclusion.
A society that expects former prisoners to become responsible citizens must provide realistic opportunities for them to do so.
5. SDG 5 — Gender Equality and the Protection of Women in Prison
Women in detention may experience particular forms of vulnerability.
Their needs can differ from those of male prisoners, particularly regarding reproductive healthcare, pregnancy, childbirth, childcare, protection from sexual violence and family responsibilities.
SDG 5 promotes gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls.
SDG 5.2 — Eliminating Violence Against Women
Target 5.2 calls for the elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls.
Although the target is not specifically designed for prisons, its principles are relevant to the protection of female prisoners.
Women in detention must be protected against sexual harassment, exploitation, intimidation and abuse.
The UN Bangkok Rules provide additional guidance on the treatment of women prisoners and non-custodial measures for women offenders.
These standards recognise that prison systems must take account of women's particular circumstances and needs.
Pregnant prisoners, mothers with young children and women with histories of abuse may require specialised support.
Gender-sensitive treatment is not preferential treatment. It is an essential component of equal human rights protection.
6. SDG 6 — Clean Water, Sanitation and Human Living Conditions
Adequate living conditions are essential to human dignity.
People in detention must have access to clean drinking water, functioning toilets, appropriate bathing facilities, ventilation, natural light and sufficient hygiene products.
SDG 6 seeks to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
SDG 6.2 — Sanitation and Hygiene
Target 6.2 addresses access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene.
Prison conditions must meet basic public health standards.
Overcrowding can make this particularly difficult. When facilities hold more people than they were designed to accommodate, sanitation systems, sleeping arrangements, hygiene facilities and shared spaces can become inadequate.
The Mandela Rules establish specific requirements concerning sanitation, bathing, cleanliness, ventilation, drinking water and food.
These are not optional luxuries.
Clean water, proper hygiene and adequate living space are basic requirements for maintaining health and dignity.
A person should not be subjected to degrading living conditions as an additional punishment beyond the sentence imposed by a court.
7. SDG 8 — Decent Work, Fair Conditions and Economic Independence
Work can play an important role in prison life, particularly when it develops professional skills and supports future employment.
However, prison labour must not become a means of exploitation.
SDG 8 promotes decent work, inclusive economic growth and the protection of labour rights.
SDG 8.8 — Labour Rights and Safe Working Conditions
Target 8.8 focuses on protecting labour rights and promoting safe and secure working environments.
In the prison context, this raises important questions about working conditions, workplace safety, remuneration, exploitation and the purpose of prison employment programmes.
Work should contribute to rehabilitation and personal development.
It should not expose prisoners to unnecessary risks, abusive supervision or degrading treatment.
Prisoners should have access to meaningful activities that develop transferable skills and prepare them for employment after release.
The broader objective is to support economic independence and reduce the risk of future social exclusion.
8. SDG 1 and SDG 11 — Poverty, Housing and Life After Release
The responsibilities of a justice system do not end when a sentence is completed.
For many former prisoners, the transition back into society can be extremely difficult.
People may leave detention without stable housing, employment, sufficient savings or strong family support.
SDG 1.3 — Social Protection
Target 1.3 promotes nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures.
Former prisoners should not automatically become excluded from essential social protection because of their criminal history.
Access to relevant healthcare, social assistance, employment services and other support can be essential during the transition from detention to independent living.
SDG 11.1 — Adequate Housing and Basic Services
Target 11.1 addresses access to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services.
Housing instability can seriously undermine rehabilitation.
A person who leaves prison without somewhere safe to live may face additional difficulties finding employment, maintaining treatment or rebuilding family relationships.
Housing support, transitional accommodation and cooperation between prison administrations and social services can help reduce these risks.
The connection between housing and rehabilitation is particularly important because reintegration is a process that begins before release, not after it.
9. The Croatian Context — Institutional Responsibility Behind Prison Walls
The principles discussed above are not abstract international ambitions. They are relevant to the everyday operation of national prison systems, including Croatia.
The Croatian Ombudswoman's 2024 report identifies several continuing challenges within the country's prison system.
These include overcrowding, insufficient staffing, inadequate availability and quality of healthcare, and shortcomings in the regulatory framework.
The report also warns that simply increasing prison accommodation capacity will not resolve overcrowding without broader reforms.
This is an important observation.
Building additional prison facilities may be necessary, but infrastructure alone cannot guarantee humane treatment or effective rehabilitation.
A sustainable prison system also requires sufficient judicial police officers, qualified healthcare professionals, trained correctional staff, educational opportunities, transparent management and effective reintegration policies.
Overcrowding can affect almost every aspect of prison life.
It can reduce access to personal space, increase pressure on sanitation facilities, complicate healthcare provision, limit educational activities and create additional tensions between prisoners and staff.
Staff shortages can further undermine safety and the quality of individual treatment.
The Croatian experience illustrates why prison reform should be considered a comprehensive institutional responsibility rather than simply a question of accommodation capacity.
Independent monitoring is particularly important.
The Ombudswoman and the National Preventive Mechanism have roles in monitoring conditions in places where people are deprived of liberty and identifying risks of torture and other forms of ill-treatment.
Their findings should contribute to practical reforms, not remain documents that receive attention only when published.
A democratic society must be willing to examine uncomfortable institutional realities, including those that take place outside ordinary public view.
10. Beyond Punishment — Why Rehabilitation Matters to Society
One of the most persistent misconceptions about imprisonment is that the primary purpose of a prison system should be punishment alone.
Punishment is an important element of criminal justice, but it cannot be the only objective of imprisonment.
A prison system that ignores rehabilitation risks returning people to society without addressing the circumstances that contributed to their offending behaviour.
The consequences can extend far beyond the individual.
Repeated offending affects victims, families, communities and public finances. It also places additional pressure on courts, police services, social institutions and prisons themselves.
Rehabilitation offers a different approach.
It recognises that people can change and that institutions have a responsibility to create opportunities for that change.
Education, healthcare, vocational training, psychological assistance, family contact and social support can all contribute to reducing the risk of reoffending.
This does not mean that every prisoner will successfully reintegrate or that all offences can be addressed through the same programmes.
Different individuals have different needs, risks, histories and responsibilities.
Rehabilitation must therefore be based on appropriate assessment, professional support and realistic opportunities.
The Nelson Mandela Rules make this principle particularly clear. They recognise that imprisonment should aim to protect society against crime and reduce reoffending, and that these objectives depend on preparing prisoners for reintegration into society.
This is an important distinction between a prison that merely confines people and a prison system that serves a broader public purpose.
The ultimate measure of success should not be how effectively an institution isolates people, but how effectively the justice system protects society while respecting human rights and reducing future harm.
11. Measuring Progress — Turning SDG Principles into Institutional Practice
The SDGs are most useful when their principles are translated into measurable institutional responsibilities.
It is not enough for governments to declare their commitment to human dignity and equality. They must demonstrate that these commitments are reflected in everyday prison conditions.
A meaningful assessment should examine several areas.
Human rights and institutional accountability
Number and nature of complaints concerning abuse or ill-treatment.
Availability of independent inspection mechanisms.
Timeliness and effectiveness of investigations.
Access to legal representation and confidential communication.
Transparency of prison administration.
Healthcare and well-being
Access to medical examinations and specialist treatment.
Availability of mental healthcare and psychological support.
Suicide prevention and treatment of substance dependency.
Continuity of treatment following transfer or release.
Living conditions
Prison occupancy compared with official capacity.
Access to clean water and adequate sanitation.
Availability of outdoor exercise and recreational activities.
Food quality, ventilation, heating and hygiene.
Education and employment
Participation in educational and vocational programmes.
Qualifications obtained during imprisonment.
Availability of meaningful work and professional training.
Employment outcomes following release.
Equality and reintegration
Access to programmes regardless of personal background.
Protection of women and vulnerable groups.
Availability of transitional housing and social services.
Access to healthcare and employment assistance after release.
Rates of successful reintegration and reoffending.
Data should be collected consistently, independently verified and made available to the public in accordance with privacy and security requirements.
It is also important to distinguish between the official UN SDG indicators and additional national prison-performance indicators.
For example, the proportion of unsentenced detainees is an official indicator associated with SDG 16.3. By contrast, prison overcrowding, access to psychological treatment and post-release employment are useful measures for evaluating the application of SDG principles, but they are not all official global SDG indicators.
This distinction matters because responsible reporting must not confuse an international development target with a specific legal obligation or a national performance measure.
The objective should be to develop a transparent system that allows governments, oversight bodies and the public to identify problems and evaluate progress over time.
Conclusion — Human Dignity Does Not End at the Prison Gate
The treatment of prisoners is a fundamental test of the values a society claims to uphold.
A democratic state cannot defend human rights selectively. It cannot demand respect for the law while tolerating abuse within its own institutions. Nor can it claim to support equality while allowing people in detention to experience unnecessary discrimination, neglect or degrading living conditions.
The Sustainable Development Goals provide a valuable framework for examining these contradictions.
SDG 16 establishes the central principles of justice, the rule of law and institutional accountability. SDG 3 highlights the importance of healthcare and mental well-being. SDG 4 recognises education as a foundation for personal development. SDG 10 addresses inequality and social exclusion, while SDGs 5, 6 and 8 extend these principles to gender protection, sanitation and decent work.
SDGs 1 and 11 remind us that rehabilitation must continue beyond imprisonment, particularly through social protection and access to adequate housing.
These goals are interconnected.
A prisoner who cannot access healthcare may struggle to participate in rehabilitation. Someone denied education may face greater difficulties finding employment. A person released without accommodation or social support may return to circumstances that increase the risk of reoffending.
The justice system must therefore be understood as part of a much broader social structure.
Respecting prisoners' rights does not diminish the seriousness of criminal offences, undermine the rights of victims or eliminate the need for appropriate punishment. Instead, it establishes the limits within which state power must operate.
A society that confuses the two risks undermining the very principles that its justice system is supposed to protect.
Ultimately, imprisonment should mean the lawful deprivation of liberty, not the abandonment of humanity.
People can be held accountable for their actions without being stripped of their dignity.
That is not merely a humanitarian aspiration. It is a necessary condition for a credible justice system, effective public institutions and a genuinely sustainable society.
The walls of a prison may separate individuals from the outside world, but they must never separate them from their fundamental human rights.
References and Further Reading
The following international documents and institutional sources provide the foundation for this essay.
United Nations — Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2015).
The overarching framework establishing the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 targets.
https://sdgs.un.org/2030agendaUnited Nations — Sustainable Development Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.
The principal framework for examining access to justice, the rule of law and institutional accountability.
https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal16United Nations — Nelson Mandela Rules (2015).
United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners. Essential international standards concerning dignity, healthcare, living conditions, discipline and rehabilitation.
https://www.un.org/en/events/mandeladay/mandela_rules.shtmlCouncil of Europe — European Prison Rules (Revised 2020).
Recommendation Rec(2006)2-rev, establishing European standards for the treatment of people deprived of their liberty.
https://search.coe.int/cm?i=09000016809ee581United Nations — Bangkok Rules (2010).
United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders.
https://www.unodc.org/documents/justice-and-prison-reform/Bangkok_Rules_ENG_22032015.pdfUnited Nations — Sustainable Development Goals 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10 and 11.
International targets concerning health, education, gender equality, sanitation, decent work, reduced inequalities and sustainable communities.
https://sdgs.un.org/goalsCroatian Ombudswoman — Report on the Performance of the National Preventive Mechanism, 2024.
An important national source documenting conditions in Croatian prisons, including overcrowding, staff shortages and healthcare challenges.
https://www.theioi.org/downloads/1c5gl/Croatia_OM_NPM%20Report_2024_EN.pdfUnited Nations — Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education.
International framework for inclusive education, vocational training and lifelong learning.
https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal4United Nations — Sustainable Development Goal 16 Progress and Indicators.
Official indicators and progress information relevant to justice, detention and institutional accountability.
https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2025/
Editorial note: The SDG targets discussed in this essay are applied to the prison context as an analytical framework. They should not be interpreted as individually creating prison-specific legal obligations. The Nelson Mandela Rules, European Prison Rules and applicable human rights treaties provide the more direct standards for assessing the treatment of people deprived of their liberty.
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