The Washington Post reported in 2015 that while the United States has 5% of the world’s population it has 22% of its reported prison population. Between 0.7% and 1% of all Americans are incarcerated at any given time. Thus for many, many Americans the harsh realities of prison life are directly or indirectly a significant factor in their lives.
But what’s it like elsewhere? How different is the plight of an inmate overseas, or elsewhere on the American continents? Where would a prisoner have it best? Where would it likely be worst? Where are policies in place that would be unthinkable anywhere else? Time for a worldwide cell inspection to find out!