Treat prisoners like human beings? Bizarre! You’ll always have a few who don’t want to change, but for the rest, isn’t it better to try to help them rather than warehouse them with the expectation of failure? Or is our current system of retribution and punishment that only leads to more crime when they get out the only way?
Ten years and 1.5 billion Norwegian kroner ($252 million) in the making, [Halden prison] is spread over 75 acres (30 hectares) of gently sloping forest in southeastern Norway. The facility boasts amenities like a sound studio, jogging trails and a freestanding two-bedroom house where inmates can host their families during overnight visits. Unlike many American prisons, the air isn’t tinged with the smell of sweat and urine. Instead, the scent of orange sorbet emanates from the “kitchen laboratory” where inmates take cooking courses. “In the Norwegian prison system, there’s a focus on human rights and respect,” says Are Hoidal, the prison’s governor. “We don’t see any of this as unusual.”
Halden, Norway’s second largest prison, with a capacity of 252 inmates, opened on April 8. It embodies the guiding principles of the country’s penal system: that repressive prisons do not work and that treating prisoners humanely boosts their chances of reintegrating into society. “When they arrive, many of them are in bad shape,” Hoidal says, noting that Halden houses drug dealers, murderers and rapists, among others. “We want to build them up, give them confidence through education and work and have them leave as better people.” Countries track recidivism rates differently, but even an imperfect comparison suggests the Norwegian model works. Within two years of their release, 20% of Norway’s prisoners end up back in jail. In the U.K. and the U.S., the figure hovers between 50% and 60%.
Skeptic–gee whiz. Wasn’t that the name of the good witch on BeWitched from years back? You must be wrong on that average thing. Just as you are wrong about the fact that USA is a melting pot of races separated by a long pernicious history and an influx of foreign cultures. What else did you think she was saying???
Only really stupid people need things spelled out for them–the very function of this blog.
All Hail our Editors. Without their kind guiding hands, we would just be rabble.
252 million dollars to house 252 prisoners. I wonder how much they pay the guards. Or maybe they are too progressive to use guards. Everything on the honor system, maybe? Ahh, the wonders of a country that charges nearly 30% income taxes and then another 25% value added (i.e. sales) tax. I guess they need such high taxes to be the all comforting nanny state. Thank heavens they only have 5 million people to watch out for.
“This would not work in America. America’s prison system is a FOR PROFIT ENTERPISE.”
Agreed. If it wasn’t for state prisons jailing people for non-violent offenses, there would be a lot less money flowing into big labor union slush funds. That’s a dirty little secret about the Democrat Party.
We don’t want to help marginal people get better, find a job…no we want to take half assed wanna be criminals and make them SUPER hardened bad ass criminals. This, plus the fake war on drugs, keeps our “criminal justice system”(tm) flowing in money. How much cash do you think you make from peace vs war…do the math.
Sorry, prison here is just not bad enough. I have a couple of relatives that like to spend time as wards of the state. Believe me, prison is not bad.
If we make prison a literal hellhole then you would see prison rates drop. No medical, dental, and food lets just give them gruel.
I’m sorry if your dumb enough to go in, then I don’t need to pay for A/C, lighting, good food, and an endless supply of legal books to further paralyze the system.
If anything, this should work better than punishment only prisons for the reason that it’s been pretty much proven by psychologists that punishment isn’t as good at teaching as reinforcement is. You can bash em on the head all you want, but it’s not gonna make say, “Hey, this was bad, I’m gonna change my ways to something I don’t even know exists!” They might know a non criminal life exists, but it doesn’t mean they know how to live one.
#26 I’ll do you one better. I think the prisoners should be free. Abolish the prisons!
Apples and oranges comparison. Norway has a tiny immigrant population. Their culture and traditions are clearly defined. That means that amongst themselves they have a lot in common. The USA is the ‘melting pot’ society that isn’t hot enough to melt the new ingredients into itself. So you have many traditional and cultural differences. Once they get in the slam the first thing they have to do is pick a clan based on those differences.
No way would the Norwegian system work in the US.
#25 We have made prisons hellholes. The result: petty criminals go in, hardened and bitter career criminals come out. And commit more crimes. And get sent back to prison. Repeat until the U.S. has the highest incarceration rate in the world. Oh wait, that has already happened. Good job guys.
The right wing nuts got their message from the bibble. “VENGEANCE” is mine, sayeth the frightened little wannabes with their second amendment militias.
We have come so far as a society.
This country is seriously sick
#30
“The bibble” Wow…get the spelling right at least you silly bastard!
This just in:
At about 3 AM last night, Halden Prison’s security systems were overwhelmed by a massive break-in.
Note to self: Commit crime in Norway. Wonder if they supply hot norwegian babes on work weekends.