Yes, Paul I see what you mean, but I think you are confusing freedom (a rather vague concept) with structure.   Let's take someone who is incarcerated.  What were the problems that led to that?  Well, for one thing their life must  surely have been lacking in structure, direction, and at least constructive purpose to have been turning to crime in the first place.  OK...now we assume such individual is tried (I will have to assume for sake of argument fairly), then convicted and they serve "time".  Is there anything that happens during the prison term which gives them the direction, structure etc..that they lacked prior?   Even if there is any attempt during their sentence to rehabilitation (another nebulous term), if nothing changes internally for them, then yes, release into "freedom" will/could be a disaster, because again their lives will be lacking in structure, and they will have no direction when released.  The cycle will repeat itself.  Same for addiction rehab...Freedom does not mean running wild and without direction or purpose, nor living in an environment where that can occur.   The best use of freedom would be to live in an environment where self direction can give the individual the ability to attain their goals and follow their dreams.   If there is no self-direction in the first place, how is such freedom to be enjoyed constructively?

And remember:

"There ought to be limits to freedom." ---George W. Bush, May 21, 1999

Gene