slope that can easily morph into revenge. Dealing out an eye for an eye can only make the world go blind as observed by Mahatma Gandhi. Mr. Kalidas views that prison and long sentences does relatively little to deter others because there are many crimes that are not carefully planned. Criminals pay a lot more attention to their likelihood of being caught, rather than what will happen after they are caught. If the primary objective of imprisonment is to ensure that offenders desist from future crime, there is no evidence that it is more effective than community-based alternative punishments. Increased number of police and tougher sentencing are common initiatives as these are ways to satisfy public’s thirst for justice whenever crime is committed. In Malaysia, there is a widespread adoption of minimum mandatory sentences, often for drug offences. There also very long and excessive sentences for those with history of violence and criminal convictions, and even mandatory death penalties for certain kinds of offences. But are such moves truly the right way to move forward? Mr. Kalidas presented his opinion that the current landscape of punishment is the way it is due to the criminalisation of social problems. There are many individuals who are serving time that have histories of substance abuse and untreated mental disorders. Punishment is less of a response to their anti-social behaviour – it is more of using authority to manage vulnerable and disadvantaged people who often have fewer constructive options in life. According to Mr. Kalidas quoting Aristotle, poverty is the pattern of revolution and crime. In many instances in life, income inequality and poverty are the main drivers of crime. He admitted that this is not the case for every criminal matter since there are certainly individuals out there who choose to be a menace to society and inflict harm on the innocence.75 D. Human Rights Challenges in Prison Mr. Kalidas shared his experience meeting with prisoners in the prison on a regular basis. Based on his conversation with prisoners, he despaired about the magnitude of the problems that they face on daily basis. He had met a young woman who had gotten involved in drugs in her early 20s at the precipice of her adulthood. However, after spending a year behind bars, she had changed immensely. In prison, one must become tough and extra alert to survive. The young woman who was an optimistic person, naive and full of life became withdrawn and hyper-vigilant. When he met her few years ago, he noticed that there was an edge to her that had not previously existed before she went into prison. The woman was imprisoned for a year on remand but what about those who had been in prison for years or decades? How would one recover and progress healthily after such a severe condition? Violence is another equally troubling prospect of prisons. While many people would assume that prison prevents violence, at least temporarily by keeping offenders away from the street, many people are not aware about violence that takes place in prisons. Having violence inflicted upon one or even observing violence unfold before 75 Mr. Kalidas explained that prison conditions are not only disadvantages for offenders to reintegrate into the society after the incarceration, but it is also potentially damaging to the psyche and mental health of the offenders. 47