Across much of Latin America, prison systems are characterized as having significantly high incarceration and overcrowding rates. In recent years, some of these systems have sought to address such problems by implementing rehabilitation and early release programs. However, the extent to which rehabilitation has been embraced and the nature of said efforts is not known. Using content analysis methods, this exploratory study examines the existence of language supporting rehabilitative practices and goals on official prison system websites across the region. While our findings suggest that prison systems have largely embraced rehabilitative goals, there is limited evidence to indicate that evidence-based practices are emphasized when it comes to assessment and correctional programs. As countries embrace rehabilitative efforts, it is important that they use empirically supported practices, as a perceived failure of the rehabilitative approach could shift the pendulum away from treatment and toward punishment. Implications for future research are discussed.

在拉丁美洲的大部分地区，监狱系统的特点是监禁率和过度拥挤率都非常高。近年来，其中一些系统试图通过实施康复和早期释放计划来解决这些问题。然而，康复的程度以及上述努力的性质尚不清楚。使用内容分析方法，这项探索性研究检查了该地区官方监狱系统网站上支持康复实践和目标的语言的存在。虽然我们的研究结果表明监狱系统在很大程度上接受了改造目标，但只有有限的证据表明在评估和惩教计划方面强调了基于证据的做法。随着各国接受恢复努力，重要的是他们使用经验支持的做法，因为康复方法的失败可能会将钟摆从治疗转向惩罚。讨论了对未来研究的影响。