Devil's Island? - Hardly -Prison in Norway

[packman]

Convict serving out 16 yr. sentence for murder and narcotic related crimes



Inmate riding a carriage to his work station

Inmates during their free time, inmates have access to horseback riding, fishing, tennis, and cross-country skiing.


Tom (The warden/governor of the island) explained that although the “conservative” party here would be considered liberal anywhere else and in general, the left and the right agree on the main threads of correctional policy, an influx of immigrants, rising xenophobia and conservative politics lately threaten to undermine the country’s progressive system and soft-on-crime approach. An anti-immigration Progress Party, part of the conservative-led government, is promoting a backlash against what’s known as “naving,” or living off welfare ― NAV is the Norwegian Labor and Welfare Administration. In recent years, a local newspaper claimed that 80 percent of Norwegians want stricter punishments, and a 2010 survey showed that a majority felt punishments were generally too lenient.

“It’s your media that’s also responsible,” .... “American TV shows about tough prisons and talk about being ‘tough on crime.’ It influences people here. But thankfully that’s started to change. All the bad press in the past few years from you guys has started to make us not take you all so seriously anymore. Especially in elections. In the political speeches, those biblical references by a secular country? And Sarah Palin? People are laughing and also crying ― this is a country we want to imitate?”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/norway-prison_us_578418b6e4b0e05f05232cb7?section=&