Since taking office, Nayib Bukele has implemented a program in which thousands of inmates in El Salvador are assigned work to repay society for their crimes.
Prisoners participate in activities such as construction projects, manufacturing, and agricultural labor, helping to offset government costs while keeping inmates engaged. Officials report that the program has contributed to lower prison expenses and offers inmates opportunities to develop skills and a sense of responsibility.
The initiative forms part of Bukele’s broader approach to public safety, which has coincided with a significant decline in homicides — from 2,398 in 2019 to 114 in 2024 — and a historic low murder rate of 1.9 per 100,000 people. Supporters say it provides productive rehabilitation, while critics note the importance of ensuring fair labor practices and safeguards for prisoners.
Bukele frames the program as a way to balance accountability, rehabilitation, and public safety in El Salvador.
Prisoners participate in activities such as construction projects, manufacturing, and agricultural labor, helping to offset government costs while keeping inmates engaged. Officials report that the program has contributed to lower prison expenses and offers inmates opportunities to develop skills and a sense of responsibility.
The initiative forms part of Bukele’s broader approach to public safety, which has coincided with a significant decline in homicides — from 2,398 in 2019 to 114 in 2024 — and a historic low murder rate of 1.9 per 100,000 people. Supporters say it provides productive rehabilitation, while critics note the importance of ensuring fair labor practices and safeguards for prisoners.
Bukele frames the program as a way to balance accountability, rehabilitation, and public safety in El Salvador.
Since taking office, Nayib Bukele has implemented a program in which thousands of inmates in El Salvador are assigned work to repay society for their crimes.
Prisoners participate in activities such as construction projects, manufacturing, and agricultural labor, helping to offset government costs while keeping inmates engaged. Officials report that the program has contributed to lower prison expenses and offers inmates opportunities to develop skills and a sense of responsibility.
The initiative forms part of Bukele’s broader approach to public safety, which has coincided with a significant decline in homicides — from 2,398 in 2019 to 114 in 2024 — and a historic low murder rate of 1.9 per 100,000 people. Supporters say it provides productive rehabilitation, while critics note the importance of ensuring fair labor practices and safeguards for prisoners.
Bukele frames the program as a way to balance accountability, rehabilitation, and public safety in El Salvador.
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