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I somewhat agree with you. And, as such, this is one more notch in the belt that in my opinion makes "life imprisonment" a "cruel and unusual" punishment.
1. I call for less comfort in prison, drastic rehabilitation practices, shorter sentences,
2. execution of repeat offenders of serious crimes, and immediate execution of those committing "heinous" crimes. Simple reforms really -- but our liberal society either doesn't have the stomach for it, or is too afraid of personal negative ramifications.

1. Agreed on the reforms of easy prisons.

2. Disagree.
I once saw a documentary about EXILE as a way to punish serious offenders. It was very interesting.
It had to do with a German man who stabbed and killed his girlfriend. There were in India somewhere, where drugs were accepted for tourists. They were both high and got into a fight. They were both addicts.

The young German man was sentenced to 25 years -life in an Indian prison. Indian prisons aren't, er, nice.
After 15 years as a model prisoner he was given an opportunity to be "exiled," that is, finish out his life on a remote island, with a group of 400 Indian islanders.
He accepted. It was an extremely quiet, simple life. He learned to make door frames and that was his job.
He married and a local woman and they had six children.
After another ten years, his life sentence was commuted and he was allowed to leave.
He chose to stay with his Indian wife and family, saying that if he returned to Germany he would probably go right back on drugs.

His eldest son has HIS green eyes and blond hair and spoke English, with a German accent. Weird.

This made me think that there MIGHT be alternatives to life-long incarceration in a cage, execution and "nice" prisons.
Not really arguing with you, so_real, just a thought.