Is Norway's Prison System Too Soft?!

Norway's Halden Prison is considered the most humane prison in the world. Is it fair to have a prison that is like a resort hotel? Is it fair to the victims? Does the punishment fit the crime? I don't think so. I think it's too lenient, especially for murderers and other violent criminals. But what do you think? I would really like to know. Leaev your comments and let me know what you think.

[snakeoflordran]

"is it too soft?" well, their recidivism rate is less than a third of ours, so i think they're doing something right here.

[Luredreier]

6:11
Most of Norway doesn't have a homeless population at all.
We *do* have beggars.
And there are homeless people in the capital.
Many of them either non-citizens who don't have rights in our welfare system yet or people who are on drugs or they're people who just can't deal with the official system for whatever reason (for instance due to mental health issues).
They just can't handle the application processes and the fixed payments of rent (even with help and money paid out to cover the cost).
There *are* systems available to help all of these people, but it's hard to get everything working well enough to keep *everyone* off the streets.

[MR.GECKO-ih]

They are not living in luxury, this is just the average level of living standard in Norway. Usa or other less developed are corrupt and segregated and the disinvestment on society is reflected on the quality of public institutions (includes prisons). And to those that think we are not being "hard" enough on prisoners through material depravity is sort of primitive and conservative thinking.

[Luredreier]

4:35
Making the convict suffer isn't justice for the victim.
It doesn't bring their loved ones back.
And quite frankly in the US "the victims" are being used to justify harsher punishments, but the reality is that they often *don't* want the family of the criminals or even the criminal themselves to suffer like they have.
And furthermore, is it justice to let out a broken person that'll create more victims?

[Desibellab]

In Norway we don’t have homelessness. If we do they just won’t take the help handed to them.
Michael Moore has a video on Norway’s prison where he talks to a father of a victim at the 22.July shooting.

[terjemullerkarlsen]

The question is: What is best for society. Does one victims hatred and need for revenge benefit it all?

[daghugowilhelmsen]

Many people miss the fact that the standard of living is suposed to be like on the outside. Norway has one of the highest standard of living in the world so for Norwegians what you see there is not that great. What may also schook you is that they still have the right to vote as prisoners, politicans visit and campagning inside the prision. When you have spend your time your debt to the country is payed and you have the right to at least minimum living standard ( a home, free healtcare, liveable pension an so on ). In US you brag about your freedom but I think a famouse song describe your freedom best " Freedom is just another word for nothing more to lose". I dont know about an animal more scary then a "Free" man. About the victims family: One of the fathers who lost his son at the terrorist attack sayed that he did not want to follow the terrorist down the less developed life. After the terrorist attack Norways respons was more freedom, not limiting Norwegians freedom.

[boskee]

One thing I hoped you'd ask is whether the American Correctional Officers deserve better pay, less stress, lower self-harm rates, and pleasant work environment. I don't think they receive any of that at the moment, while the Scandinavian system offers them exactly that. Norway introduced those reforms after 3 correctional officers were murdered in their American-style prisons in the early 90s. They rethinked the entire system and so far it works.

[wonderwendy]

From an ex prison nurse. We need to focus on retaining good officers. Pay them what they're worth. Recruit and retain quality staff. Many are natural mentors and well respected by their peers as well as inmates. For those inmates who are making good choices, allow more privileges. For those inmates who don't, don't. Give the officers the tools and training to do their jobs including de-escalation training. What all else fails and they have to go hands on, stop nitpicking the hell out of them. Some inmates simply refuse any help. That's their choice and God bless the officers who have to deal with them.

[steinarhaugen]

In the United States, half the population lives in poverty. Is the political system in the USA fair? Poverty is the root of crime. The majority in the US don't understand that, I think. It is about cause and effect.

[jandmath]

The victim’s feelings doesn’t really come into the equation. Performing revenge on behalf of victims is not a responsibility for the authorities. Victims are compensated in other ways.

[Redcloudsrocks]

The issue is ''Justice'' Isn't actually a thing, No matter how people talk about evil or good, in the end you will die and be forgotten in some way or another, To just give your life to emotion and anger and live thinking about ''revenge, justice, what is right for you'' If you just let go and accept, forgive and understand you will be ''free''

An animal who has their children hunted doesn't think about revenge, they move on and live another day and the cycle goes on, YOu're not some main character, If something happens to you, You don't gain anything by ''seeking justice in some self righteous way'' no matter how wronged you feel

[Ilegenes]

Im from Norway and i both agree and disagree with this kind of prison system. Yes it do work but i do wish we had some more US style prisons for those that keep committing crimes. Yes first time offenders especially that have committed minor crimes that are enough to land them in prison do deserve a chance to turn their life around. But people that keep committing crimes time after times and just treats the prisons as a vacation, they no longer deserve to be treated like this cause they clearly don't learn from it.

[indigochild]

I started laughing uncontrollably at first because treating people like human beings in prison was such a ridiculous thing for me to hear-/ like a joke. Then I watched this seriously and it’s like here in the US, we almost want people to spit on to make ourselves feel better about ourselves so let’s make sure these people come out with even more problems than when they went in to prison. Oh and abuse them while they’re in there.
Actually truly wanting then putting the resources into rehabilitation and treating people with dignity instead of depriving them of basic human rights does lower recidivism and homelessness — wow, go figure. I’m stating it sarcastically but we look at this here like “it’s not our problem.”😢😢

[VPlas]

I watched this video & it’s really interesting and very very good video to watch. This is an example of how prison should be. This prison is more like a rehabilitation center and help inmates reflect on their crimes & it has programs here that can help themselves and do something to pay & help their victims.

Here in the US, it’s more like: they don’t have these types of resources in prison because, prison in the US makes the inmate more worse. There’s no rehab or programs that can help them learn and reflect. prison in the US is like you’re doing crime in the streets. If the prison system here has a similar system like Norway it can help inmates here have a 2nd chance to redeem themselves and help repent to their victims.

I agree with the documentary and it’s description of how prison should be a rehab to learn and reflect. Here in America, you’re seen like a less of a person.

Just because someone did a Robery, assault or anything illegal, doesn’t mean we see them as monsters. They’re lost or something bad has happened in their personal lives.

I haven’t been to Norway and I heard it’s really nice there. One Norwegian who watched this video, the country doesn’t have much homeless because they tend to assist them with resources. While in the US they left to rot in the street, some Americans complain about homeless people, well just and FYI it’s the government who inputs dumb laws and policies + they’re ones who’s making facilities/group homes that encourages them to do drugs.

This prison is a great example because prisoners in Norway can help repent to their victims who they did damages to them and I think Norway is the best example of 2nd & better opportunities.

[uniquename]

The person in the prison do not have their freedom to come and go as they wish or see their family and friends everyday. It is still a prison and still a punnishment. Question that should be asked is what kind of a person do we want to interact with or live on the same street with when they get out. The person in US who been treated like a animal and learned nothing else but hate and punnishment or the person who is getting help to find their way back to a life that is not about crime anymore. The fallback on crime is such a huge difference between US prisons and prisons around EU so i think that is telling more about what is the best way.
Also there do not have to be do or don't version. There is always a middle way. Things to change so that people who leave prison when they done their time will not fall back to crime again in the rating that US have now.

Also something that always blew my mind. In the US you can never vote again if you been convicted. But you can still be a president even if you are convicted. Why is that?

[sbedragn]

@3:00 - Another video, the figure was $129k per year compared to $36k per year.

[dav__made]

It is definitely a mixed bag. But in terms of price it may be 3 times more expensive than what the US has, but the US also has 5% of the worlds population and more than 20% of the worlds incarceration population.

[Bubajumba]

To understand the Norwegian psyche you need to remove individualism from the equation. The idea is that you as correctional officers aren't there to punish anyone, the system does that job by keeping you locked in jail. The idea is to foster a better future. Also the investment is worth it because those who get released are educated and jump right in to the economical system paying back ten folds in taxes instead of reoffending causing damage and further expenditure. if you look at it this way USA pay way more each individual. Its basically quality over quantity. You dont want to create a system where everyone loses, we want to improve not get worse

[terracapers]

The United States needs to take notes, because this is rehabilitation. The US is all about the money and could care less about reforming inmates. The cruel way the inmates live in the prison and are treated like animals and the inhumane way the prisons in the US look inside is ridiculous using the taxpayers dollars to house inmates in such a poor condition. That’s not giving victims justice that’s just using money improperly. How can a person be reformed in such harsh circumstances. US take a long look at the reality of it all and be honest this is just money to you, it’s not humane what you call punishment of a crime it’s a trifling shame and just wrong.