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Türkiye has prepared a new roadmap for reforming its penal enforcement system, aiming to expand alternatives to imprisonment and reduce repeat offending through rehabilitation, according to Turkish media outlet Türkiye daily's Yucel Kayaoglu's report.
Under the framework brought forward by the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), the Justice Ministry has drafted an action plan to revise the balance between crime, punishment, and enforcement.
The plan envisions broader use of alternative sanctions in place of short-term prison sentences and the introduction of new non-custodial penalties.
According to the timetable in the action plan, steps to be implemented over the next two years will reassess criminal legislation in line with social needs.
The justice system will be strengthened with alternative sanctions to imprisonment, and its scope will be expanded to ensure more effective implementation.
The plan also foresees revising the current fixed-ratio probation system. Convicts under probation will be subject to obligations tailored to the nature of their crimes.
Authorities also plan to establish separate rehabilitation-oriented correctional facilities for detainees and convicts who are severely ill, physically disabled, or in need of constant care.
AK Party sources stressed that the planned changes should not be confused with an amnesty. Officials said any step taken would relate to probation, not pardons or sentence reductions.
Party legal advisers noted that graduated enforcement based on crime types already exists and that probation is widely used globally when rehabilitation conditions are met.
They emphasized that long sentences should not necessarily be served entirely in prison if offenders comply with rules, adding that those released under probation would face harsher penalties if they violate conditions.
Justice Ministry officials said the main objective of the enforcement regime is rehabilitation and reintegration into society.
However, they noted that globally, around 40% to 45% of former inmates re-offend after release, a figure that also applies in Türkiye.
Officials described the rate as alarming, highlighting the need to overhaul the entire enforcement system with the involvement of families, society and the state.
The reform aims to prevent re-offending by addressing the psychological and social factors that contribute to repeat crimes.
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