“The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons”
— Fyodor Dostoevsky
Simplified Meaning:
You can tell a lot about how advanced and humane a society is by looking at how it treats people in prison. Think about a country where prisoners live in clean, safe conditions, get chances to learn, and are treated with respect. This shows that the society values fairness and wants to help people improve their lives. On the other hand, if you see prisons where people are kept in terrible conditions, with no opportunities to learn or better themselves, it suggests that the society doesn't care much about human rights or giving people second chances. For instance, in history, some societies treated prisoners harshly, and this often matched their broader lack of respect for human dignity and justice. If we want to build a better community, we should ensure that even those who have done wrong are treated with decency, as this reflects our overall commitment to humanity and progress.
