THE isolation room that held Gunawan Santosa is full of gaps. Offenders can escape if the guards are careless. Not only healthy, able-bodied criminals get away but even weak, frail crooks can find a way out without having to dig a tunnel.

Eighteen-year-old Sukriyanto, severely ill with syphilis did exactly this. He was isolated in a holding room in Boyolali, Central Java because the guards were afraid he was infectious. His condition was indeed se