The prisoners were exposed to

subconscious rehabilitation techniques

Instead of stealing or killing, the prisoners are "brainwashed" to do other, more harmless, stuff, e.g. knitting. Keeping them up to date with social and technological changes is not part of the programm, which is why

the revived John Spartan has trouble adapting to life in the future

Regarding Simon Pheonix:

Spartan and Huxley check prison records and determine that Cocteau programmed Phoenix to make him an even more dangerous criminal and assassin, with the goal of eliminating Edgar Friendly.

Simon Phoenix's rehabilitation program was "hijacked" by Cocteau, e.g. Pheonix knows the password to open his restraints, which allows him to escape, and, as security measure, he has been programmed not to harm Cocteau (which he circumvents by simply ordering one of his goons to kill him).

The prisoners were exposed to

subconscious rehabilitation techniques

Instead of stealing or killing, the prisoners are "brainwashed" to do other, more harmless, stuff, e.g. knitting. Keeping them up to date with social and technological changes is not part of the program, which is why

the revived John Spartan has trouble adapting to life in the future

Regarding Simon Pheonix:

Spartan and Huxley check prison records and determine that Cocteau programmed Phoenix to make him an even more dangerous criminal and assassin, with the goal of eliminating Edgar Friendly.

Simon Phoenix's rehabilitation program was "hijacked" by Cocteau, e.g. Pheonix knows the password to open his restraints, which allows him to escape, and, as security measure, he has been programmed not to harm Cocteau (which he circumvents by simply ordering one of his goons to kill him).