Top 10 World's Most Humane Prisons

The degree of civilisation of a society can be measured by visiting its prisons. F. Dostoevsky

When we refer to "civilized countries", we are talking about those countries where society is constantly self-correcting in order to create a better and safer life than before. This concept includes economic prosperity, health of the population, increased life expectancy, education, rehabilitation of criminals, cultural values and generally good governance. With all these criteria in mind, one immediately thinks of the Nordic countries - Norway, Denmark, Sweden - but Canada and Japan are not far behind either. This does not mean that these countries have zero problems with their citizens, but they have created a system that allows people to enjoy a high quality of life. Their governments put caring for people first, while realizing that people can make mistakes. They therefore build prisons with the re-education, rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders into society in mind: decent living conditions, sports, reading, gardening, completing their studies, language courses, learning a trade, etc. The level of development of these societies can also be judged by the way they treat their criminals. Following this logic, we see that Romania ranks among the most primitive countries in the world. In our country, the guilty are not only imprisoned in inhumane conditions, but also cursed, beaten and humiliated. It is no wonder that, after serving their sentence, 60% of prisoners return to where they came from. We still have a lot to learn from civilized countries, where deprivation of liberty is considered sufficient in itself. Here are some of the world's most humane prisons compared to our own:

Vestre Fængsel (Copenhagen, Denmark)

Capacity: 530

Type: closed, men

Vestre is one of the oldest prisons in Denmark. It was built in 1895 and holds prisoners serving sentences from 5 years upwards. This prison leaves the best impression. As well as a gym, library and medical center, there is a shop that sells almost everything you find in conventional shops apart from alcohol, and inmates do work for which they are paid. The prison also offers the opportunity to complete studies. The guards, almost a third of whom are women, undergo a rigorous 3-year training course (including psychological) and receive a salary of €3000 a month. The problems of prison governance may seem amusing: the increase in the consumption of sweets among inmates, which in Vestre requires a visit to the dentist once a week. But even though the prison is "closed", with walls and bars, only the guards wear uniforms, although they don't own weapons. But such a humane attitude is costly: Vestre prison employs more staff than inmates.

Gelsenkirchen (Germany)

Number of inmates: 558

Type: closed prison with blocks for women and men

Built in 1998 at a cost of almost €92 million, Gelsenkirchen prison covers an area of 100,000 m² and is one of the most modern prisons in Europe (built following an architectural competition). The grounds are divided into male and female sections. The barracks are built in a semicircle, framing a large sports field. Each sector has its own church and library, but some details differ. For example, men have a school (including IT courses and German as a second language), while women can go, under supervision, outside the prison. Men work in metalworking workshops and laundries, while women are employed in communications, gardening and office systems. Both men and women handcraft various items according to outside orders. A large staff of psychologists, teachers, managers, priests and social workers contribute to the re-education of prisoners. Relatives can visit the prison three times a month for 45 minutes in the main hall, and exemplary prisoners are allowed to communicate with their families for three hours in a separate room.

Halden Fengsel (Halden, Norway)

Capacity: 248

Type: closed, men

Norway's largest prison, opened in 2010, has managed to surprise the international media. It is well known that standards for the treatment of prisoners in Norway are the highest in the world, but the reality has exceeded the most optimistic expectations associated with the Scandinavian prison. Here there is its own recording studio, cooking classes, graffiti by well-known artist Dolka Lundgren on the walls of the inner courtyard and a separate building for visiting relatives. All this makes the prison feel more like a boarding house. The guards here don't carry guns or wear handcuffs, and the outside walls are decorated with bricks for a less oppressive impression. The rooms, hardly cells (there are no bars on the windows, for example), are more reminiscent of cheap hotels. The only thing that confirms it's a prison are the 6-metre-high walls on a 30-hectare perimeter, but even these are covered in greenery. All the more surprising because it's not just corrupt magistrates and citizens who haven't paid their taxes, but also criminals and rapists, all of whom fill in questionnaires that form the basis of plans to improve prison conditions.

Justiz Zentrum Leoben (Austria)

Capacity: 205

Type: minimum severity; men, women and minors

Austria's most controversial building is located in Arnold Schwarzenegger's home region of Styria. When photos of the state-of-the-art law center in Leoben hit the internet, serious discussion ensued about whether criminals can be kept in better conditions than many Austrians who never go to prison. In response, the prison management issued a statement saying that it's easy enough to build a building from which it's impossible to escape, but making a prison where people can stay people is much harder. To that end, they started with the design: the complex is built by famous Austrian architect Josef Hohensinn and both the exterior and interior of the building resemble hi-tech corporate offices. The windows are made to allow as much natural light as possible, the furniture is colored in light tones, and instead of a gloomy prison courtyard, there's a garden with ping-pong tables. In addition to standard amenities like a gym or library, there's a kitchen, washing machines and even a horse farm. From time to time, inmates are treated to concerts by compassionate artists. However, despite the large number of people eager to spend time here, only offenders whose sentence does not exceed 18 months are serving their time in Leoben.

Federal Correctional Complex, Butner (North Carolina, USA)

Capacity: 3600

Type: minimum and medium severity, male

The American prison system is considered to be quite oppressive and socially inegalitarian. But concessions are made for the 'white collar', one of which is the Butner Correctional Complex. Famous prison guests include Bernard Madoff, founder of the Ponzi Scheme, the largest financial pyramid scheme in US history, John Hinckley, the man who made an attempt on Ronald Reagan's life, evangelist Jim Becker and big business executives. The complex is called the "royal jewel of federal prisons" and ClubFed (by analogy with ClubMed). If it weren't for the barbed wire on the walls, the prison could be mistaken for a college campus. We hear about daily life in this prison from those who have spent time there: the rooms are equipped with cable TV, the staff and facilities are top-notch, and the medical services, psychological counseling, and drug rehabilitation program are the best in the federal prison system.

Bastøy Prison (Norway)

Capacity: 115

Type: minimum severity, male

Bastøy Island, located in a fjord near Oslo, is nicknamed 'the island of hope'. It is home to the world's first eco-prison, which aims to develop a sense of responsibility for the environment in inmates, preparing them for life outside the walls (which don't exist here). Electricity is generated from solar panels, waste is sorted and recycled, and fruit and vegetables are grown by inmates. All inmates are involved in this activity, according to their abilities, and such a concept not only gives them the opportunity to embrace new values, but also saves the state money: the upkeep of Bastøy prison is much cheaper than other such institutions in Norway. Here there is only one guard for every 20 inmates, but so far there have been no amateurs who would revolt and thus condemn themselves to a stricter place of detention. What's more, in anonymous interviews, inmates are not shy about calling their place of detention a "summer camp": outdoor work, union with nature, horseback riding and even bathing and sunbathing when the sea is warm enough. Of course, this prison is only for petty criminals, but let's not forget that Norway has the lowest crime rate in the world.

San Pedro (La Paz, Bolivia)

Capacity: 1500

Type: men

In Bolivia's largest prison there are no guards and no cells. But at the same time, we can't speak of a prison like the one for Norwegian prisoners. Here, behind thick walls, is a kind of reservation for criminals that looks more like a slum than a prison. In order to curb drug trafficking somewhat inside the prison, the authorities have had to abandon the practice of tourist visits that used to exist, but in general, although there are about four deaths a month, the police do not interfere in internal affairs and the inmates try to control the situation on their own, electing representatives with special powers. The main law in San Pedro is quite simple and predictable: if you have money, you're king. The territory is divided into 8 zones and everyone pays for their accommodation. A 4 m² hut in the poorest areas costs about $10 a month. The rich pay $1000-1500 for a luxury stay in large rooms with many amenities. You can buy food for all tastes, which is also sold by inmates trying to make a living. Single fathers are allowed to live with their children, who attend schools outside the prison. The main entertainment is football matches of local teams. Betting amounts to more than $20,000 a month. Just as in real life, the most capable players have the chance to transfer to a richer team, improving their social status.

Viru (Jõhvi, Estonia)

Capacity: 1075

Type: closed and open prison, men and juveniles

In the process of Europeanisation, Estonia decided to get rid of the Soviet legacy with the prison-camp type and in 2006 presented the Viru prison to the world. The contractor was the Merko Ethius company, known for building houses, Radison SAS hotels and renovating Tallinn airport. The entire building cost $120 million. The main focus was on security: all 14 buildings at Viru are linked by covered walkways, and electronic tracking systems are installed around the 16-hectare perimeter, reducing the number of guards. Here, the authorities have also considered social aspects: a gym, school, chapel and workshops. All rooms are double, each has a toilet with an odor neutralization system and TVs are allowed if the inmate is willing to pay the cable fee. The prison governor, Edward Remsel, is following the example of his Scandinavian peers in preventing criminal offences and advocating for prisoners' rights and the creation of conditions to enable inmates to reintegrate into society. As elsewhere in Estonia, prisoners are entitled to 21 days holiday a year for exemplary behavior.

Horserød State Prison (Denmark)

Capacity: 221

Type: open prison, men and women

Located in eastern Denmark, Horserød is an open prison, usually serving less than 5 years. In this country, there are more such prisons than closed ones. Relations between guards and inmates are mostly based on word of mouth, breaking which can land you in a closed prison closer to reality. The walls of this prison are symbolic, and the living conditions are reminiscent of an adult summer camp. Single-level houses with single rooms, mowed lawns, jogging tracks, a church, store, library and inmates shaking hands with the warden. Here people are completely free to move around, wash, cook, eat and sleep when they want. Work in workshops and participation in special programs such as anger management classes are encouraged. The main problem with this system is the inability to control drug trafficking. Prisoners returned from their legal day off (once every 3 weeks) are not even searched. Those with drug problems are recommended stays in clinics, where they are forced to take urine tests and follow a stricter regime. Inmates can leave the prison at any time if they want to work or study, but are required to return for the night. In the family section, convicts can live with their children and spouses if they wish.

Cereso Chetumal (Mexico)

Capacity: 1100

Type: men

Mexico is probably the only Spanish-speaking country in the New World where attempts have been made to create a rehabilitation programme in civilized, non-repressive prisons. Conflicts between inmates, for example, were settled through boxing matches, organized with the support of prison authorities. Statistics showed that in 10 years there had not been a single case of violence in Chetumal, and the reoffending rate was negligible, even though vicious criminals, thieves and drug dealers were serving their sentences here. The re-education programme consisted mainly of producing goods for sale (for example, the best hammocks were made here), which allowed inmates to have televisions in their rooms. But all this ended the career of prison director Victor Terrazas. In September 2009, following an inspection, he was sacked for numerous violations of the prison regime and facilities enjoyed by inmates. The commission discovered phones, fridges and custom-made furniture in so-called luxury rooms. And just like that, overnight, the Mexican prison became much less comfortable and efficient again.
Source: https://frumoasaverde.blogspot.com/