The article examines how prisonization and punitive populism impact the process of social rehabilitation in Ecuador. To this end, the current state of the penitentiary system is contextualized and subsequently discusses the doctrine of punitive populism along with its impact, and the doctrine of prisonization with its effects. Finally, both elements are contrasted with what is proposed by the Criminological Theory of Containment in order to identify theoretical connections and potential areas for improvement within the rehabilitation system. The research highlights the punitive trends in the reforms made to the Ecuadorian Penal Code and analyzes the impact of prisonization on the behavior of persons deprived of liberty. It concludes that these elements may function as mechanisms of criminogenic pressure or as the absence of crime containment mechanisms.
