Penal harm refers to a form of punishment that posits that inmates should endure additional pain and suffering beyond just having their basic rights taken away.
[4] Traditional forms include:[citation needed] There is poor evidence to suggest that penal harm has a deterrent effect once an offender's imprisonment is over.
Although internal punishments, imposed by prison authorities, are not strictly penal harm as such, since they are not independent from the convict's behavior, arbitrary application and choice of cruel modes, including corporal punishment (in South East Asian countries this can include the dreaded rattan caning), perfectly fit the rationale.
In the 1990s and 2000s, penal harm has taken (among other things) the form of poor health care for inmates;[5][6] this includes the denial of medicine for patients diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.
[6][7] Penal harm can also arise unintentionally, as a result of understaffing, insufficient budget, or even legal considerations (such as delays deemed necessary for appeal procedures).