You can learn a lot about the character of a country by its jails. Alexander McLean tells of the subhuman treatment he witnessed in African prisons—conditions so brutal that he founded a distance-learning organization that empowers prisoners to fight for their own rights. But the larger question he asks relates not just to Africa: “If as a society we say that someone who has stolen will always be a thief, what skills and gifts and talents do we miss out on?” <br /> <br />TED@StateStreet was a TED-curated event featuring a diverse group of speakers from across the State Street community. Jointly produced by TED and State Street, the event paved a bold way ahead.<br /><br />About the TED Institute: We know that innovative ideas and fresh approaches to challenging problems can be discovered inside visionary companies around the world. The TED Institute helps surface and share these insights. Every year, TED works with a group of select brands to identify internal ideators, inventors, connectors, and creators. Drawing on the same rigorous regimen that has prepared speakers for the TED main stage, TED Institute works closely with each partner, overseeing curation and providing intensive one-on-one talk development to sharpen and fine tune ideas. <br /><br />Learn more at <a href="http://www.ted.com/ted-institute" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.ted.com/ted-institute</a><br /><br />Follow TED Institute on Twitter @TEDPartners<br />Follow more business thinking worth sharing from TED at roi.ted.com