Prison reform advocates often point to the Nordic countries as examples of “how to do prison right”. The low rates of imprisonment and more humane approach to incarceration in these countries have long been considered exceptional by researchers.
In Norway, Finland, Denmark, Sweden and Iceland, life in prison resembles the outside world as much as possible.
However, like any prison system, they aren’t perfect. Criminal policies in these countries are more punitive than they were 40 years ago. There are a myriad of reasons for this, such as stronger support for conservative political parties and tougher approaches to crime and less reliance on experts in criminal policy.
As a result, Nordic prisons are facing some of the same challenges as prisons in the UK, including overcrowding and understaffing.
Norway
Norwegian prisoners have the right to vote, and their education and medical needs are taken care of by the same teachers and doctors used in the surrounding community. In many prisons, they’re entitled to conjugal visits with their spouse.
Norway’s prison system is praised for its low recidivism rates (only 20% after two years), though it should be noted that many Norwegian prisoners are foreign nationals, half of whom are deported after serving their sentence.
By and large, criminals in Nordic countries are punished through loss of liberty, while retaining other rights. Time in prison is spent trying to help prisoners prepare to live a crime-free life.
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In an annual report on a visit to one Norwegian prison, the Norwegian Parliamentary Ombud raised concerns about rising self-harm incidents, understaffing and extensive use of solitary confinement. There were 20 times as many self-harm incidents in 2022 than four years prior.
Finland
In the 1960s and 70s, Finland had the highest rate of imprisonment in western Europe. Reforms were brought in to address this and by the 1990s they had some of the lowest rates, which they’ve largely maintained. But the trend may be reversing, partly due to tougher criminal policies, with stricter sentences for sexual offences and gun crimes.
Finnish prisons, like those in Norway, are considered innovative. Prisons are designed to be as nice as possible, with prisoners encouraged to govern their own lives and stay connected to their community. The aim is to help them reintegrate into society upon release.
Read more:
The dire state of British prisons – and what they could learn from Europe to get better
Last year, Finland’s prison service said that the country’s prisons are full. They raised concerns that due to the capacity, prisoners are not getting enough time out of their cell, nor enough access to meaningful activity.