Abstract: | Although for centuries, imprisonment has been regarded as a deterrent to criminality, it has proved ineffective as a deterrent; rather, in some instances, it has contributed to recidivism. To a very large extent, reversion to criminality has been due to the adverse conditions that exist in many prisons, especially in those countries which have neither the means to build large prisons and detention units for different categories of offenders nor the professional staff to treat prisoners with sufficient expertise. The adverse conditions could best be avoided or reduced by finding alternatives to imprisonment which would also aid in rehabilitating the offender. This paper discusses these alternatives and their impact on the implementation of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, adopted in 1955 by the First United Nations Congress On the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders. |