I recently watched a documentary titled The Philosophies of Max Security Prisons in Norway . From the literature, I learned reasons why some countries have a higher rate of crimes and many prisons while others have minimal crime activities and few prisons. The Norway prison system believes in love and rehabilitating the lawbreakers rather than punishing them. The prisons in Norway use a restorative justice approach to make sure that lawbreakers learn how to live with others.
In Norway, the prison system aims at correcting the behavior rather than locking the prisoners away for a long time. Consequently, the justice system applies penalties for lawbreakers. The penalties sentencing can mean that a person is allowed to live with the society or the penalty in prison. The penalty of imprisonment is a punishment that involved the restriction of liberty. However, no other rights are taken away from the prisoners. Prisoners in Norway, therefore, have the same rights as ordinary citizens.
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The most extended prison term in Norway can only last for 21 years. However, the new panel code allows for maximum sentencing of 30 years for crimes related to genocide war and crime against humanity. The average prison time in Norway is eight months. There are three levels of correctional facilities in Norway. The closed or high-security level prisons have walls and fences, all where inmates are locked in their cells and under the control of the prison guards. Lower security prisons are open to allow the interaction of the prisoners. Transitional housing is a collection facility where prisoners only report for a specified time but live in society.
The rule in Norway forbids the use of inhumane, cruel, torture, or degrading treatment of prisoners. The documentary categorically indicated that prison guards are not supposed to carry guns. Prisoners are allowed to report any complaints against public authorities, and such complains actively investigated. Inmates say that they are not ill-treated, beaten, or raped in custody. The Norwegian prisons meet the International set standards, and external human rights observers are allowed to inspect the facilities.
The documentary notes that the Norwegian prisons are not like a real prison system but rather a broken down collection system. Prisoners are taught how to work with others, creating a bond through love. The inmates are locked up in prisons for a given time but are transferred into transitional housing when they have partially completed the prison time. Under transitional housing, the prisoners receive social and professional training on how to return to society. The prisoners are allowed to prove that they are willing to live peacefully with other citizens.
The documentary also depicts that the main aim is to nurture prisoners. The prison system is guided by three core values, including love, rehabilitation, and humanity. Instead of inflicting pain through punishment, the prisoners are treated with compassion. Penalties in society require prisoners to undertake community service. The prisoners are allowed to work with the community, thus creating a bond. It is through such compassion that the rate of crime in Norway is 80% lower than in the U.S.
Compared to the prison in the U.S where prisoners are known to be locked away for most of their time and punished, the Norwegian prison system approach has proved to be effective. The Norwegian prison system understands that most of the lawbreakers are psychologically broken and with sufficient compassion, the prisoners can live in harmony with ordinary citizens.
