The Digital Transformation of Custodial Rehabilitation: A Comparative Systems Analysis of the NCoS Marketplace within Global Custodial Economies

Global prison systems face a structural paradox in which mechanisms designed for public safety frequently perpetuate the conditions that drive reoffending. This paper presents a critical comparative systems analysis of the NCoS Marketplace, a digitally integrated artisan and agricultural commerce platform proposed for the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS). The platform's central innovation is a legally grounded tripartite revenue distribution model codified under Section 14(4) of the Nigerian Correctional Service Act, 2019 (Act No. 9), which mandates that one-third of enterprise revenue each be allocated to participating inmates, enterprise sustainability, and the Consolidated Revenue Fund. The study positions this model against established international custodial commerce systems, including UNICOR (USA), CORCAN (Canada), Made in Carcere (Italy), and Tihar Haat (India), using an eight-dimension comparative policy benchmarking framework. To the best of current knowledge, no comparable national-scale system has previously combined state-level logistical integration with a transparent, legally binding, blockchain-enforced inmate equity mechanism. The paper evaluates the platform's proposed alignment with the UNODC/ICRC 2026 Handbook on the Use of Technology in Prison Settings, the Nelson Mandela Rules, and the Bangkok Rules. Findings suggest that the NCoS Marketplace, if implemented as designed, may offer a replicable model for rights-based digital rehabilitation at national scale. Limitations in independently verifiable outcome data are acknowledged, and recommendations for rigorous longitudinal evaluation are provided.