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The word “prison” rarely evokes positive associations. As a rule, when we hear it, we imagine dirt, violence and cruelty. However, in some countries places of detention can be confused with resorts. We tell how some prisons in Norway work and why the comfortable resocialization of criminals is necessary not only for themselves, but also for those who are at large.
“Stole, drank – in prison … Romance!” – said the hero of Yevgeny Leonov in the film “Gentlemen of Fortune”. According to the plot, the head of the kindergarten, like two drops of water similar to a hardened criminal, is trying to “re-educate” the thieves who escaped with him. And these words from his lips sound sad and sarcastic. There is no romance in this, of course.
People go to prison for breaking the law, and the conditions there are usually very harsh. However, the understanding of imprisonment varies from country to country. The “branches of hell on Earth” are notorious – the legendary Karandiru in Brazil or Bangkwang in Thailand. At the same time, at the other extreme, there are comfortable institutions where convicts from other countries can only dream of staying.
Wonder Island
So, the Norwegian prison for especially dangerous criminals on the picturesque island of Bastoy is practically a resort. The only difference is that you won’t be able to leave it at will. But does anyone have this idea? In the first 11 years of the existence of the prison, only five people escaped from the island, while three of them returned on their own – with a confession.
But many convicted citizens of Norway want to come there, and someone has to wait for their turn. Usually they get here at the end of the term, but the main part of it has to be spent on the mainland.
On the island, equipped with beaches, tennis courts and a sauna, there are 115 prisoners at the same time. 8 people live in one wooden cottage – each in his own room. Former criminals are busy working in nature – in the forest and on a kind of local farm. They can spend their leisure time fishing, playing tennis, riding horses, basking in the sun or in the sauna.
If you wish, you can surf the Internet (limited time), perform in a local theater troupe, play music or read books. The fact that this is a prison is reminded by the presence of guards (unarmed), daily checks (counting prisoners), observance of the daily routine and work (with an annual leave of 18 days) and weekly mandatory testing for traces of alcohol and drugs (they are banned on the island) .
The experience of “re-education” of criminals on Bastoy is really successful, the Norwegian Ministry of Justice decided. The department is going to organize several more similar prisons. Officials have calculated that keeping prisoners here costs the state 2,5 times cheaper than in prisons on the mainland.
After them, the number of re-convicted criminals is also smaller, if we compare those who “wrapped their sentences” on the mainland of Norway (20%) and on Bastoy (only 16%). For comparison, in Russia 63% of prisoners are serving sentences in penal colonies on the second, third or even fourth conviction.
The author of the experimental project “resocialization” (this is the name of the system for correcting the behavior of criminals on Bastoy) is the Norwegian scientist and criminologist Niels Christie.
According to him, the perpetrator of a crime is also a victim of his own deed. And the task of the state is not only to punish him, but also to give him the opportunity to change his relationship with himself and society.
For this reason, working with a psychologist in prison is part of the mandatory program. Christie himself is sure that the secret of the successful “re-education” of the inhabitants of this institution lies in working on the ground, in close contact with nature.
Humanism in action
Yes, Norway is famous for the humanity of its penitentiary system. Inessa Zakharyan, a mediator and psychologist who worked in the Russian judicial system, explains: “Norwegian psychologists conducted various studies and came to the conclusion that most offenses occur precisely because people have a wrong idea of themselves as a person, there is no concept of self-worth and adequate self-perception .
Therefore, the Norwegians believe: the meaning of punishment is for the prisoner to realize his wrong, to understand himself and his background. That is, he must answer the question: “What are my steps in life that led me to prison?” Psychologists who work with prisoners should help a person understand how he found himself in this situation.
And prepare him for his release, support him in taking the right steps so that he can create a different, positive story of his life. After leaving prison, the state financially supports a person for six months, gives time for adaptation so that he can calmly choose a new path for himself. Free consultations with a psychologist continue.
Agree: it is much better if the one who ended up in prison because of his own mistake realizes it and does everything so as not to repeat the sad experience. This benefits the whole society, it becomes more comfortable and safer to live in it.
System failure?
Does the humane approach to re-education always work? This is a big question.
Consider the most famous Norwegian prisoner – the mass murderer Anders Behring Breivik. He was diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder combined with pathological deceit. However, at the same time, he is sane, that is, he can be held criminally responsible for his crimes. Does humane “re-education” help people like him?
Breivik’s solitary cell resembles a compact apartment – a bedroom, an office and a gym, with a total area of 24 sq. M. Breivik regularly wrote complaints in which he was indignant at the fact that the food was heated in the microwave, the butter was poorly smeared on bread, and the prison did not want to buy textbooks for him. In addition, he called the conditions “sadistic” and demanded a video game console.
“The problem with narcissistic disorder is that its owner cannot be “re-educated”. This is a pathology of personality, – explains psychotherapist Gurgen Khachaturyan. Breivik’s crime is extreme. But there are many such disorders in our world. And, alas, there is a lot of violence committed by such people, physical and psychological.
Some cases of narcissistic disorder are not treatable. In others, the task of psychotherapy is to restructure the personality. And it can take from 5-7 years to the whole life of a person.
Most often, a narcissistic criminal does not need humane “resocialization”, but long-term psychotherapy, control and further isolation from society.
The conclusion is obvious – no system can be perfect. However, statistics indicate that respect for human dignity and competent psychological support for prisoners ultimately benefit the whole society.
About the experts
Inessa Zakharyan psychologist, mediator Her .
Gurgen Khachaturian – psychotherapist.