Inmates read a way to freedom

Brazil is to offer inmates in its crowded prison system four days off their sentence for every book they read.

Inmates in four federal prisons holding some of Brazil’s most notorious criminals will be able to read up to 12 works of literature, philosophy, science or classics to trim a maximum 48 days off their sentence each year, the government announced.

Prisoners will have up to four weeks to read each book and write an essay which meets certain requirements said the government.

A special panel will decide which inmates are eligible to participate in the programme.