Uncle, I understand what you're saying, but the idea of prison is to have your liberties withdrawn.
Locked up for 23 hrs a day, in a small cell with one, possibly two other people that you may not like, is not something you would ever class as 'nice'. The 'Lifers' have slightly more benefits, by way of their own cell and a TV, games-station, but when you're doing time from 12yrs upwards, I'd rather have the choice to nip for a pint, rather than play 'Call of Duty'.
We've all seen programmes like 'Banged up abroad', which show the atrocities of Asian, S. American prisons, but as a first-world country we would never allow such conditions to be allowed.
The percentage of re-offenders is too high, I agree, but a lot of those are drug-related crimes where dependency is the driving force. These people are so hooked on their drug of choice, that they will do anything to get it. By making prison more barbaric, it's doubtful it would stop their behaviour and subsequent re-offending.
