Open prisons in Norway, opinions?

Pyr0

Noticed this on a different site, very interesting take on a portion of the prison system in Norway.

http://theweek.com/article/index/212738/prison-without-punishment

These days the idea of prison appears to be a mix of punishment and rehabilitation, with punishment at the forefront on the publics opinion on what prison should actually entail. What surprised me about this particular example was that the criminals on this island have committed vicious crimes which would carry very heavy sentences but yet live with extreme freedom, they can pretty much leave the island anytime they want if they don't like living there (I think they go straight back to a maximum security prison going by the last paragraph). The freedom given to the prisoners is having a great effect on their over all desire to live correctly among the general public.

If I'm honest, I'd rather a murderer who spent 15 years learning to live for themselves on an island with relative freedom as opposed to a murderer who spent 15 years within a maximum security prison, locked away for 23 hours a day living next door to me. It's a very black and white example I know but I'm not gonna get into all the "but not everyone comes out as they went in" nit picky points, I realise that but you get what I'm trying to say.

What's your opinion on this?

cosmicfart

Lock them up, throw away key.

ejmaztec

We could use Rockall.

liah

Isn't that basically what happened with Australia?

Ruu_Old

Harvest their organs.

Sanjuro

There's Nor-way I'd be supporting that policy here.

Daegerty

Seems like a good idea really

RMD

When someone spends 23 hours locked up in a place filled with other scumbags, they become institutionalized and even more violent themselves. If they have to put up with this for 10-15 years and are then suddenly back in a life of freedom and without a fixed schedule, they're fúcked in essence.

Place these people into a relaxed environment where they must self-sufficient, peaceful and respectful you'll then have people who can be rehabilitated, but might actually come out of the prison system as a decent person as well.

cosmicfart

RMD wrote: »

Place these people into a relaxed environment where they must self-sufficient, peaceful and respectful you'll then have people who can be rehabilitated, but might actually come out of the prison system as a decent person as well.

Is that place Monkstown?

admiralofthefleet

we have open prisons here dont we? shanganagh in shankill is one but i think it may be closed

Latchy

ejmaztec wrote: »

We could use Rockall.

Spike Island ...just so they can stretch their lags legs a bit further

Latchy

liah wrote: »

Isn't that basically what happened with Australia?

That's why they say every other ,older Australian is the grandson/grandaughter of a convict .....:pac:

paky

nothing like an old fashioned hanging me thinks

Capt'n Midnight

Ruu wrote: »

Harvest their organs.

I think you are getting consfused there. Norway is the one to the WEST of Russia.

Biggins

I suggest a prisoner "Battle Royale" situation.
We can franchise out the gambling rights to help add to our economy!

Liam Byrne

RMD wrote: »

.....might actually come out of the prison system as a decent person as well.

That's a bit of a leap of faith considering that they didn't bother being a decent person before they were put in there.

prinz

Now all we need is a similar place for the victims to go away free of charge and come back all better. We have similar open prisons here. No problem moving prisoners from traditional prisons to some place like that to readjust somewhat before release but no support whatsoever to sentencing someone to spend their whole sentence living somewhere likely better than where they came from.

Kevin Duffy

With the right safeguards in place, sounds like a great idea. That kind of alternative to the life they may have lived up 'til the time they committed their crimes may be the first time they've had a chance to learn right from wrong and stop taking on the world with hostility and violence, so they can make better choices.

PrincessLola

What ever happened to being burned at the stake? Or is it steak?:pac: mmm.. steak..

Nodin

Liam Byrne wrote: »

That's a bit of a leap of faith considering that they didn't bother being a decent person before they were put in there.

...did you bother your arse to look at the reoffending rates there and maybe compare them to here....

Capt'n Midnight

Biggins wrote: »

I suggest a prisoner "Battle Royale" situation.
We can franchise out the gambling rights to help add to our economy!

LOL


except they actually did this in Uganda, two prisoners, one sledgehammer at gun point :eek:

but they lied, the winner got to fight the next person on the list

bayern282

Bill Hicks on transportation to the colonies

''you mean you guys get to stay here with the lousy food, warm beer and sh**ty weather ? ''

................''I'm Jack the Ripper!''
....No! '' I'M Jack the Ripper !''
.........''Hoi You Two ! I WAS Jack the Ripper !''

Naikon

"The Running Man" offers the best solution. Fight to the death for your freedom.

man.about.town

i whole heartedly disagree with the open prison system, sometimes i worry that eventually we will not punish are criminals at all.

DO THE CRIME, DO THE TIME.... simples

losthorizon

ejmaztec wrote: »

We could use Rockall.

Norway claims Rockall as well

-Trek-

man.about.town wrote: »

i whole heartedly disagree with the open prison system, sometimes i worry that eventually we will not punish are criminals at all.

DO THE CRIME, DO THE TIME.... simples

But proper rehabilitation needs form part of that mix too or else were just wasting our time, which is pretty much where we are at now.

Gunsfortoys

man.about.town wrote: »

simples

You should be locked up 24 hours a day for putting this at the end of every lightweight argument.

Capt'n Midnight

losthorizon wrote: »

Norway claims Rockall as well

Oh well back to Spike Island.

Latchy

losthorizon wrote: »

Norway claims Rockall as well

And the Danes have always had one foot in Iceland and after this volcano ,well they might want to look elsewhere but Irelands safe from the viking hoards :pac:

ejmaztec

losthorizon wrote: »

Norway claims Rockall as well

We won't need it for long, a few good gales and it'll be vacant again.

Norwayviking

ejmaztec wrote: »

We won't need it for long, a few good gales and it'll be vacant again.

And you think a few gales would stop a norwegian,lol.
How do you think the vikings found their way to America.
By looking at the forecast,lol.:D

Fukuyama

ejmaztec wrote: »

We could use Rockall.

Stay off my island!

Yours,
The Emperor of the Holy Empire of Deanianity.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

It would never work. The problem is nothing to do with "society". "Society" is perfect and beyond reproach. Therefore, no system that has ever worked anywhere else in the world will ever work here. We're too perfect.

Norwayviking

Ikky Poo2 wrote: »

It would never work. The problem is nothing to do with "society". "Society" is perfect and beyond reproach. Therefore, no system that has ever worked anywhere else in the world will ever work here. We're too perfect.

Therefore, no system that has ever worked anywhere else in the world will ever work here

Here as in Ireland???

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Norwayviking wrote: »

Therefore, no system that has ever worked anywhere else in the world will ever work here

Here as in Ireland???

Sarcasm a little too subtle!

It was in reply to the crime threads we have here that refuse to accept that society has any part to blame in the problems.

dlofnep

If I've learned anything about Scandinavia, it's that they generally do things right.

twinQuins

Ikky Poo2 wrote: »

It would never work. The problem is nothing to do with "society". "Society" is perfect and beyond reproach. Therefore, no system that has ever worked anywhere else in the world will ever work here. We're too perfect.

Oh yes, all criminals are evil creatures who need to be beheaded or locked away forever because they're not people, like you and I, but monsters who society has played no part in creating.

Further to that, it should be the victims carrying out the punishment because it's not like we have an entire section of the law designed to allow people to seek redress against those who have wronged them.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

twinQuins wrote: »

Oh yes, all criminals are evil creatures who need to be beheaded or locked away forever because they're not people, like you and I, but monsters who society has played no part in creating.

That is pretty much the gist of the conservative argument.

Further to that, it should be the victims carrying out the punishment because it's not like we have an entire section of the law designed to allow people to seek redress against those who have wronged them.

Should we?

baalthor

A few years ago, I read an anthology of storys by Irish prisoners.
One featured a 'daring escape' from Loughan House prison in West Cavan which involved climbing over high walls, dodging guards with dogs and escaping through the night across the Border.
In real life though, Loughan House is an open prison and you could escape by walking out through the front gate.

twinQuins

Ikky Poo2 wrote: »

That is pretty much the gist of the conservative argument.

And it's one I intensely dislike in part because of the usage of the term "evil" which ignores that criminals are, for the most part, made not born. Even then people often casually ignore how mental illness can play a part in violent crime.

It also ignores that violent punishments have been tried throughout human history yet we still have crime, ultimately suggesting that (a) they don't work, and (b) people aren't really interested in solving crime just in sating their blood-lust.

Should we?

Hmm, maybe I lay the sarcasm on a little too thickly. I was speaking about civil law and the people who, rather conveniently, forget about it when they parrot the line of "what about the victims".

Norwayviking

Ikky Poo2 wrote: »

Sarcasm a little too subtle!

It was in reply to the crime threads we have here that refuse to accept that society has any part to blame in the problems.

Well no offence.
I just thought you ment in Ireland.
It was just a question,not ment as sarcasm in any way.:D
And has it ever been tried here?I mean how can you say that it wont work in Ireland if it has never been tried here.

ejmaztec

Norwayviking wrote: »

And you think a few gales would stop a norwegian,lol.
How do you think the vikings found their way to America.
By looking at the forecast,lol.:D

I was fantasising that each time some prisoners got dumped on Rockall, the gales would blow them into the sea, and that eventually we'd run out of prisoners, which would lead to Rockall being vacant again. It's obviously so cold in Norway that people there always get the wrong end of the stick.:p

Also, the Vikings never found their way to America, they were pissed up on their longboats and blown across the Atlantic by strong winds.

dsmythy

So if I kill this person I don't like, deal drugs, commit robberies I can live an island life. Nice, where do I sign up? Oh wait yeah I just need to commit some crime.

Norwayviking

ejmaztec wrote: »

I was fantasising that each time some prisoners got dumped on Rockall, the gales would blow them into the sea, and that eventually we'd run out of prisoners, which would lead to Rockall being vacant again. It's obviously so cold in Norway that people there always get the wrong end of the stick.:p

Also, the Vikings never found their way to America, they were pissed up on their longboats and blown across the Atlantic by strong winds.

He he,yes maybe so.
But leiv Ericson found America long time before Colombus.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leif_Ericson
And we have Svalbard and Bjørnøya which would be better suited to host prisoners than Rockall.
Just put a fence around it,and leave the rest to the polarbears.
It would save a lot of taxmoney,and the Polarbears would survive the winter with plenty of food.:D

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Norwayviking wrote: »

Well no offence.
I just thought you ment in Ireland.
It was just a question,not ment as sarcasm in any way.:D
And has it ever been tried here?I mean how can you say that it wont work in Ireland if it has never been tried here.

None taken!

No, it hasn't been tried here, because it takes too much effeort and there#s no vengeance factor.

Norwayviking

Ikky Poo2 wrote: »

None taken!

No, it hasn't been tried here, because it takes too much effeort and there#s no vengeance factor.

Well does it have to be a vengance in it to be suitable.:D
I dont agree to much on it either,i am more for the "eye for an eye" punishment,but thats just me.

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2071529,00.html

who the fug

cosmicfart wrote: »

Lock them up, throw away key.

But you would have one big empty prison with one person in it if you did that

ejmaztec

Norwayviking wrote: »

He he,yes maybe so.
But leiv Ericson found America long time before Colombus.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leif_Ericson
And we have Svalbard and Bjørnøya which would be better suited to host prisoners than Rockall.
Just put a fence around it,and leave the rest to the polarbears.
It would save a lot of taxmoney,and the Polarbears would survive the winter with plenty of food.:D

I knew about that guy even before I'd heard about Columbus.:P

Why waste food on polar bears when you can have Soylent Green?

losthorizon

dlofnep wrote: »

If I've learned anything about Scandinavia, it's that they generally do things right.

and its clean and shiny

Norwayviking

ejmaztec wrote: »

I knew about that guy even before I'd heard about Columbus.:P

Why waste food on polar bears when you can have Soylent Green?

soylent green on bjørnøya and Svalbard??
Call me when you discover how to do it.:D