Comparative Analysis of United States and Norwegian Prison System

Culminating ProjectBy: Daniel Davis

Overview

• There is a growing concern to the number of people in the U.S prison system.• Develop a needs assessment to address changes to

improve U.S prison system.• Comparative analysis between the United States and

Norway’s prison system.• Comparative analysis of one U.S max security and one

Norwegian max security prison.

United States Prison System Today• Population of 317 million people.• The United States has the highest documented

incarceration rate in the world (743 per 100,000 population)• 2.2 million people are incarcerated today.• In 2011, 4,814,200 people in the United States were on

parole or probation.• U.S recidivism rate of 67.5% and were rearrested within

3 years.

Norway Today

• Population of 5 million people.

• 60 per 100,000 people are incarcerated in Norway.

• Approximately 4,000 people incarcerated.

• Recidivism rate of 20%.

U.S and Norway Prison System United States

• Capital punishment• Primary goal is

punishment, secondary is rehabilitation.

• Life sentence. U.S has 49,000 lifers.

• Approximately 70,000 juvenile offenders.

• Lose many rights such as; right to vote and some civil rights.

Norway

• No capital punishment• Primary goal is

rehabilitation, secondary is punishment.• Maximum sentence of

21 years.• No juvenile offenders.• Punishment is the

restriction of liberties, can vote.

Halden Max Security Prison

• Norway's second largest max security prison located in Oslo, Norway• Opened in March 2010, considered to be one of the most

successful and humane prison in country and possibly the world.• Prison houses criminals who's crimes range from drug

related crimes to rape and murder.• House approximately 300 inmates with 300 staff.• Staff are unarmed and are encouraged to participate in

activities with inmates.

Halden Design

• Cost 252 million dollars to build and is built on 75 acres• Of the 252 million dollars spent on Halden, almost one

million was spent on artwork around the prison.• "The most important thing is that the prison looks as

much like the outside world as possible".

Halden Design

• To avoid an institutional feel, the buildings are made of bricks and steel. The outside perimeter of the prison is encompassed by trees, giving the prison a "organic" feel.• Art encompasses the prison.• Halden has running trails, a recording studio, on-site

library, on-site mini market, indoor gym and rock wall, two bedroom house to host family overnight visits, occupational training centers, chapel, soccer field and teaching services (high school diploma and specialized certificates).

Halden Design• Cells include amenities such as a their own bathroom and

shower, mini-refrigerator, television, bar less windows and designer furniture.

• Prisoners share kitchens and living rooms every 10 cells. Living rooms include stainless steel countertops, sofas, television, and decorated other decorated furniture.

Halden Environment

• "If you have very few activities, your prisoners become more aggressive".• Violence within prison is almost unheard of.• Inmates are released from their rooms at 7:30am and

locked up for the night at 8:30pm.• During the day inmates are encouraged to work and

participate in educational activities.

Halden Environment

• Running and exercising on the Halden running trails• Take rock climbing lessons• Participate in drug and

alcohol programs • Participate on sports team • Take cooking classes

• Make music in recording studio• Have jobs• Go to library• Take educational

courses• Many more.......

Some of the activities prisoners can participate in during the day include the following;

Halden Environment

• Correction officers are encouraged participate in various activities with the prisoners. Staff do not carry weapons because it weapons creates a social barrier between inmate and prison officers. • Staff members undergo 2 years specialized training

before employment at Halden. This specialized education includes psychology, human services, law and social justice classes.

Halden Environment

• Each inmate is given a daily wage and salary to spend on meals and necessities. Inmates go to the on-site mini-supermarket and purchase their own food. Inmates prepare and make their own food.• Inmates are allowed to have family overnight visits

where they have their family stay in a small cottage on the prison premise.

ADX Florence

• Max security prison located in Florence, Colorado.• Built in 1994 and is considered to be the most secure

prison in the United States.• Prison population of 900. Inmates live in solitary

confinement. • Prison houses many inmates who are deemed to be too

dangerous or high profile for regular incarceration.

ADX Florence Design• Located on 37 acres of property .• The building has motion detectors, cameras, laser beams,

pressure pads, attack guard dogs,1,400 remote-controlled steel doors, and 12-foot tall fences completely covered in razor wire.

ADX Design• 8.5x10ft solitary-confinement cells• 24-hour surveillance• Soundproofed doors• Prisoners have a desk, stool, toilet and a bed, which are

designed and made of concrete.

ADX Environment

• Inmates are kept in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day.• The hour they are out of their rooms they get to enter a

larger cell with vaulted ceilings which is commonly known as the "empty swimming pool". • The "swimming pool" room has one window which is

located on the ceiling. This room is designed to allow inmates to do recreational activities while preventing prisoners from knowing where they are. They spend their one hour of free time alone.

ADX Environment

• Prisoners are allowed to have a mirror, light, radio, writing paper and a book. • Typically prisoners do not receive any social interactions

from other inmates for three years. Overtime if inmates demonstrate good behavior then they can earn outside time. • ADX has no mess halls, all meals are hand delivered

through a hole through inmates doors.• Doors are remote controlled so staff do not have to come

into contact with prisoners.

ADX Environment• * Little to no human interaction. Prison was designed to

eliminate prison guard death and injury.• Most of the inmates exhibit mental health issues.• Suicide attempts and staff assaults are commonly

observed.• There has been over 1,000 documented cases where

prisoners will go on hunger strikes to protest the harsh conditions and medical/correctional staff will force feed them.• Many engage in fits of screaming and ranting for hours

on end. Others carry on delusional conversations with the voices they hear in their heads

Personal Reflection• Analyzing and researching different prison systems has

informed me of different incarceration techniques.• The United States needs to invest more resources in

rehabilitating inmates.• Both systems possess things that I agree and disagree with.• Fun insightful experience.