28 May 2012

Bastoy Island: A Liberal Prison System


No walls, no barbed wire and no guards. The prison island of Bastoy in the fjord of Olso is more like a holiday camp than a prison. When the weather is nice the inmates go for a walk by the sea or swim in it. They live in the same building but each one of them can decorate his room as he wishes. The director places his emphasis on trust and humanity. The prisoners are required to take responsibility. Norwegians are proud of their liberal prison system. And the statistics seem to back up the approach. Only 10 percent of inmates go on to reoffend.

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