CASE STUDY 1.3: IS THIS ANY WAY TO RUN A PRISON? Halden prison in...

CASE STUDY 1.3: IS THIS ANY WAY TO RUN A PRISON?

Halden prison in Norway has all the amenities you would expect at an expensive resort and then some. Prisoners can take advantage of a sound studio, a climbing wall, jogging trails, a "kitchen laboratory" for cooking classes, and two-bedroom homes for hosting their visiting families. They live in dormitory-style rooms complete with flat-screen televisions and mini-refrigerators. (There are no bars on the cells.) Furnished with stylish furniture and artwork, Halden placed second in an interior design competition, losing only to a spa hotel. At Balstøy, another Norwegian prison, murderers, rapists, and other felons enjoy the beach, horseback riding, and tennis. They also grow organic vegetables and raise their own livestock for food.

The Halden and Balstøy prisons reflect the guiding principles of the Norwegian penal system. National leaders believe that repressive prisons do not work. They operate under the premise that treating inmates with respect and giving them responsibilities reduces the chances that they will end up back in jail. According to the Halden prison governor, "In the Norwegian prison system, there's a focus on human rights and respect. When they [inmates] arrive, many are in bad shape. We want to build them up, give them confidence through education and work and have them leave as better people."¹

Caring relationships between staff and inmates are essential to carrying out the prison system's mission. At Halden, prison guards (half of them female) don't carry guns, and they routinely eat meals and participate in sports with their charges. They strive to create a sense of family for inmates, who often come from poor home situations. Many staff members choose to work at the prison to transform lives. Said one, "Our goal is to give all prisoners—we call them our pupils—a meaningful life inside these walls."²

There is evidence that the Norwegian approach is effective. Prison violence is rare, and within two years of release, only 20% of Norway's prisoners end up back in prison, compared with 50% to 60% in the United Kingdom and the United States. Observers point out, however, that the imprisonment rate in Norway, a small, equalitarian, and prosperous country, is much lower than in the United States (69 per 100,000 compared to 753 per 100,000). Norway's total prison population is between 3,000 and 4,000, which makes it much easier to focus on rehabilitation. And the system is expensive. It costs twice as much to house an inmate at Halden than in Great Britain prisons.

Norway's commitment to rehabilitation rather than punishment was sorely tested after Anders Behring Breivik killed 77 of its citizens in 2011. Breivik first set off a series of bombs near government offices in downtown Oslo, killing eight. Then, dressed as a policeman, he went to an island where he systematically hunted down and shot children and adults at a camp. Breivik never repented for his actions and declared that he would kill again if freed. For his crimes he was sentenced to 21 years (an average of four months per victim), but he is unlikely to ever be released because judges can add additional 5-year extensions to his sentence. He may end up spending some of his days in Halden with access to exercise facilities, computers, classes, and other perks.

While many around the world were offended by what they saw as a lenient sentence, most Norwegians appear comfortable with the court's decision in Breivik's case. They see it as a reflection of their values. "We don't talk much about revenge," said Halden's deputy governor.³ A survivor of the shooting stated, "If he is deemed not to be dangerous any more after 21 years, then he should be released. That's how it should work. That's staying true to our principles, and the best evidence that he hasn't changed our society."⁴

Norway's prisoners expressed their solidarity with the victims of Breivik's murderous rampage. Inmates at two facilities collected money and sent flowers to Norway's Royal Ministry of Justice and the Police, which had been attacked. According to the Justice minister, "They seemed to feel that it was their ministry that had been bombed." When asked how ministry personnel responded to the prisoners' gifts, he replied, "We cried."⁵

Discussion Probes

1. Is it fair to crime victims (and to society) to treat prisoners so well?
2. Do Norwegian prisons reward criminals for their bad behavior?
3. Should prisons focus on punishment or on rehabilitation?
4. Do you think that the Norwegian prison model is ethical?
5. Was Breivik's sentence too lenient? Should he be released if he is rehabilitated after serving his sentence?
6. Could the Norwegian prison model work in the United States or other countries? Why or why not?