It ' s a little more nuanced than that . Breivik for example isn ' t getting out , ever . A simple calculation is made . ' Will this person continue to be a danger to society based on prior actions ? ' If yes indefinite sentence . 100 years , until dead and buried . If no , slow reintegration into society after ~ 20 years of observationconditioning . Typically political dissidents like Breivik are harder to reprogram . Soviet Union used to simply work them to death in gulags . In the US prisoners are taught to commit more crimes . In Europe Prisoners are taught to reflect on their past actions , and develop their ability to function in a safe capacity around others . Reprogramming works most of the time . The trick is in the environment . If you spend 25 years watering daisies , and being around nice people in a safe , calm environment , you will start to mimic such traits , and turn habits into a lifestyle . The alternative suckssee US prison system for reference . Of course there ' s the ' be extra harsh and murderous option ', but that has its own peripheral issues . for reference see Saudi Arabia . I ' m sure you wouldn ' t want to live there . Crime rates are low , but you are constantly living in fear . Institutions don ' t exist in a vacuum . A shitty institution will damage the rest of society . Rehabilitation works because human brains are biological machines . They can be repurposed to an extent with given techniques . Revenge does nothing . It doesn ' t bring back the dead , it doesn ' t make you feel better unless you ' re a psychopath in which case YOU are the danger to society , etc . In the future we will be able to reprogram criminals in a matter of minutes or in fact potential criminals within the womb itself . Bidirectional ComputerBrain interfaces , Nerve stapling , custom genetic blueprints etc . can ' t come soon enough . You will conform citizen . Resistance will indeed become futile . The singularity awaits feeble human .