fairness gone overboard?!?!

there's a big hoo-hah in the news today regarding womens prisons. Apparently there's overcrowding, so some women offenders are just being kept in police cells. The problem is with the fact that the cells aren't top quality. Well, they aren't what comes to mind when we think of todays prisons.
They're actually just the bare necessities without any comfort features.
I say good on them. its time to tell offenders that they're actually getting punished for their offending, rather than treated to a free stay in a warm, comfortable place, with food and bedding provided, and visits from their family/spouses. Prison is supposed to be a punishment rather than a cost-free trip away from home.
But wait, i hear you cry, we're a western society. Whats happening to human rights. Just because you've done something wrong doesn't forfeit your rights.
Isn't this over the top? What about society's poorer people, who can barely afford to eat or heat their homes. Its like the government is saying crime pays. Cos if you commit a crime, you get a better quality of life than someone who doesn't. I'd like a free trip away from home, time away from the kids, the chance to take free correspondence papers, have my husband over for the night as a reward for good behaviour.... sounds pretty rosy to me.
Human rights entitlement? or mollycoddling? I can't help but see this as equality and fairness gone overboard!