Beyond Green Prisons: Toward an Institutional Sustainability Framework for Correctional Systems

Correctional systems face increasing challenges in maintaining secure, humane, and financially sustainable operations. This article develops the concept of institutional sustainability in correctional systems, conceptualizing sustainability as an organizational capability rather than merely an environmental objective. Drawing on correctional governance, institutional theory, infrastructure governance, and organizational resilience, the article proposes a framework explaining how correctional administrations preserve, adapt, and reproduce improvements over time. Illustrative cases from Santa Catarina, Brazil, demonstrate the framework's analytical applicability. The study contributes a theoretical model for examining how institutional capacities support continuity, adaptation, and long-term performance in correctional systems.