By Lena Cao Lc206@uakron.edu
Recently I was listening to a crime podcast and it brought up the environment of prisons in Germany. The podcaster stated that the prisoners in Germany lived more comfortable lives than the average American. This got me thinking, how are prisons different across the world and which countries have the most lavish prison systems? After a little bit of research, it seems that Norway, New Zealand, Iceland, and Switzerland are amongst the few countries that have been ranked to have the most luxurious prisons. To go along with this fact, these countries also happen to be in the top 10 list of lowest crime rates in the world. On the other hand, I wouldn’t say America has the worst prison system in the world but it definitely isn’t anywhere near to being the best. America is ranked second in having the highest crime rates. Some similarities between the countries' prisons were that they consisted of a bed, a large desk, a comfortable chair, and even occasionally, a mini fridge and TV. Many of these photos of the cells are decorated with books, lamps, and photos and drawings. If you showed me a picture of the prison cell without any context, I would say it was a small college dorm. On the contrary, American prison cells consisted of a bed (more often than not, they look like large shelves sticking out from the wall) with a thin mattress on top, a toilet and sink out in the open, and occasionally a small nightstand. Now the question is do these countries not punish criminals for their crimes or does the environment of prisons play a huge factor?
Comparisons between the American and Norway Prison Systems
In America, we have one of the highest incarceration rates in the world. The rest of the world tends to have around 100 prisoners per 100,000 people but in the US it's up to 500 prisoners per 100,000 people. More than half of all Americans in prison have pre-existing mental health illnesses or develop them during their time being locked up. 66% of prisoners have reported that they do not receive any form of mental health care to those who have been diagnosed, instead, more than 60,000 people are held in solitary confinement. Many prisons are run by corrupt officials, guards, and staff members who take advantage of their power and use it to mistreat the prisoners. (Equal Justice Initiative is a non-profit organization that is taking a step to fight for prison reforms as well as many other social issues. They have a website called Eji.org and I recommend that everyone should take the time out of their day to read a few articles that they have published.)
In the 1990s Norway’s prison system was also structured similarly to the prisons in the United States. Prisons were run as a punishment for those who had committed crimes, after all, why should lawbreakers and bad people get rewarded with a comfortable and free-living environment? Well, statistics showed that nearly 70% of released prisoners had recommitted the same crimes and landed back in prison. (This is near the same as the recidivism rate in America today.) Norway’s government had recognized the problem and decided a reform was needed. They reconstructed the prison system, the cells, the environment, the sentences for crimes, etc. Today Norway’s prison system has become a model for the rest of the nation. Norway prisons prioritize rehabilitation and reintegration into society instead of prolonged sentences and isolation. One of Norway’s most luxurious prisons is called the Halden Prison located near the Swedish border. It is a maximum security prison consisting of private single prisoner cells, private bathrooms, a fitness center, a library, a family visiting center, a school, and more. The prison is designed to boost social interaction within the prison. Guards are encouraged to interact and bond with the prisoners. Kitchens and living rooms are in the common areas of the prison accessible to the inmates. Rather than having a guard stand and watch over you while you are talking to your visitors, the Halen Prison has private rooms for one-on-one visiting. For multiple visitors, there is a larger area with toys and even a baby-changing facility. With privileges and trust, there is a separate residence where 24-hour visits are allowed from family members.
One aspect of the Norway prison system that I do not agree with is that they banned life sentences and the maximum sentence is only 21 years. It was recently increased to 30 years of maximum sentences for crimes such as genocide, crimes against humanity, and other war crimes. I strongly believe in an eye for an eye in crimes as heinous such as mass murder or premeditated murder, but Norway rarely has murders so it is not as big of an issue as it would be in America. Statistics show that 60% of sentences are less than three months and 90% are less than a year long. Today Norway’s recidivism rate is lower than 20% after 2 years and up to 25% after 5 years.
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