Norway’s eco-prison - ‘not liberal, just reasonable’
I’m fairly sure that prisons and prison sentences will find their way into the election Zeitgeist at some point this year. So this prison on a little island near Oslo is worth highlighting as counterpoint to the way we sometimes do things here.
The prison, which houses murderers, rapists and drug dealers, has minimal security but prisoners are reluctant to escape, in case they get returned to a typical maximum security prison. It seems instead they would rather stay on their island where they are treated with respect and taught respect. The prison warden says his prison is ‘not liberal, just reasonable’. The solar powered prison grows all its own food and closely integrates with nature too.
Hat-tip: Celsias
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April 1st, 2008 at 10:18 am
Well who would escape when they’re near the end of their sentence anyway? You probably could’ve mentioned the place is for those who will soon be released back into society
April 1st, 2008 at 10:31 am
The important point being “at the **end** of the terms”.
April 1st, 2008 at 10:40 am
StephenR said: Well who would escape when they’re near the end of their sentence anyway?
Actually, this happens more often than you might anticipate. By those who are so institutionalised that they can’t cope with with life on the outside that they escape, attempt to escape, or commit an offence inside the prison before their release so their sentence is extended.
April 1st, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Ahh yes!
The left wings view on how to punish “rapists, murderers and drug dealers”
Should we move William Bell or Bailey Kurariki (sp) to a nice cozy prison farm so they feel better about the world?
Who cares about the victims…its all about the convicts, make sure they are cared for above all else.
April 1st, 2008 at 1:38 pm
refer BP’s post
April 1st, 2008 at 6:02 pm
BB, stop knee-jerking and read the actual article.
Then, afterwards, as homework, why don’t you explain how teaching inmates to function in society without committing crimes is disrespecting victims? Surely victims are more interested than anyone in preventing break-outs and re-offending, and it looks like that’s what this prison is structured to do.
April 1st, 2008 at 6:33 pm
Ari
Murderers should NEVER have to worry about being back in society, at the very least they should be locked up for the rest of their life’s, personally I would support the return of the death penalty for the most heinous of murderers.
Rapists should also never be allowed out and drug dealers should be dealt with the same way as they are dealt with in many Asian countries.
April 1st, 2008 at 7:32 pm
Would like to know the success rate though…
April 1st, 2008 at 7:45 pm
The Asian nations have a 100% success rate with drug traffickers Stephen.
April 2nd, 2008 at 8:42 am
My previous comment was actually regarding the success rate of the Norwegian scheme, but your comment wasn’t there at the time, oddly.
I would say that the ‘Asian nations’ (Thailand and uh, Singapore? Probably a couple more) DON’T have a 100% success rate because how do you measure the people you didn’t catch? Plus the fact that people keep committing those particular crimes means execution for smuggling some balloons up your @$$ is not a 100% effective deterrent. Still can be effective of course, if somewhat crippling-for-life.
April 2nd, 2008 at 10:03 am
Very good idea indeed.
Let’s face it, society itself is as guilty or not, as the person committing the crime. No man is an island and every action has multiple external reference points, many of them rooted in the way we structure our communities.
It’s funny how we find it appalling that countries like Iran is run by faith based ayatollahs when the courts underpinning our society is based on what can only be called a theistic belief; that people have free will. A belief that has caused and will cause much more harm than any priest running a country can ever hope to achieve.
Instead of taking a good look at ourselves and try to find ways of living that do not cause unwanted behaviour we rather opt for the easy way out and point the finger at the individual when it occurs. At least this scheme is offering them a way to get back and function in their communities instead of illogical and unjust punishment.
April 2nd, 2008 at 10:07 am
I think according to some you may have just bought a ‘hard left’ membership
April 3rd, 2008 at 12:34 pm
Maybe, but that just reflects the sad state of things.