According to a recent Reuters news item, the country of Brazil is offering a novel way for prisoners to shorten their sentences: read a book!

Inmates in 4 federal prisons can read up to 12 works of literature, classics, science, or philosophy, and shorten their incarceration by 4 days per book, up to a maximum of 48 days off their sentences.

The program, which is called “Redemption through Reading,” requires the inmates to read the book within 4 weeks, and to write an essay that meets certain standards. A special panel will decide which prisoners are eligible to participate.

Somehow I doubt that this program will be adopted here in these United States of America anytime in the not-too-distant future! But why not?