I think it's both a good and a bad thing. The good part is that prisons in Europe are mostly for rehabilitation so they can come out and lead decent, law-abiding lives. However, there are some people who can't be rehabilitated or just don't deserve to be rehabilitated and should be shot in the face.
Case in point, they released a number of prisoners in Rome or Naples a few months back and for some stupid reason they released a convicted rapist. They then re-arrested him after he had raped and killed another woman a few days later. This is why I support the death penalty. And abortion. And sterilization.