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Jails think they're overcrowded now.  Just wait until scientists get us to a point where people can live for centuries.

So how will this change things moving forward?  On one hand, it puts the phrase "life in prison" into a whole new light. On the other hand, you can't help but wonder:  if someone is set to be locked up for a hundred years, is that enough time to rehabilitate them?

Or will prisoners be denied access to medical treatments and supplements that will help them extend their lives?

If a person doesn't age they will have had to be enhanced in some way.  Will this become an inalienable right?  Would denying them access to technologies and medical treatments be considered cruel and unusual punishment?

If prisoners are able to live for centuries this also puts a whole new spin on sentencing guidelines.  Some have questioned how this will impact the length of an inmate's time behind bars.

Scientists have speculated that sentencing law will need to be appropriately modified- a ten-year term at that point will barely be a slap on the wrist.   Judges will need to rethink how a person's punishment will be adapted in order to make sure it fits the crime.

Others have suggested new criminal sanctions will need to be put in place.   This could include suspending a person's academic achievements and degrees, or denying them access to vocational programs.

Longer sentences will also come at a substantial cost.  That being said, programs that focus on rehabilitation could be the way to go.

Some neuroscientists have reportedly suggested more research needs to be done in the field of neuro-rehabilitation.  This could allow offenders to be successfully reintegrated into society through the use of technology and currently used rehabilitation methods.

If doctors can find a way to repair parts of the brain that make someone apathetic, or sociopathic, there is no reason to think this wouldn't change or modify their behavior.   At the same time, these types of applications are still years from being developed.  For now, it's just talk and speculation.

Others disagree with this approach and point out that it's not up to the prison system to play Jekyll and Hyde with their inmates.

So what is the answer in all this?  Only time will tell.  For now, though, it's certainly an interesting point to debate.