During this summer, a lengthy article about the Norwegian Correctional Services was published in "TIME" magazine. Although TIME's journalist visited Bastøy Prison, Halden Prison and Sandaker Halfway House, the article also includes a wider account of Norway's methods for the treatment of criminal persons.
 
As always, it is interesting to read about our work through the eyes of foreigners, but this article makes me feel proud to be a part of the Norwegian Correctional Services.
 
Below you can read more, and in the meantime here are a few extracts:

Norway's system produces overwhelmingly positive results. Within two years of their release, 20% of Norway's prisoners end up back in jail. In the U.K. and the U.S., the figure hovers between 50% and 60%. Of course, Norway's low level of criminality gives it a massive advantage. Its prison roll lists a mere 3,300 inmates, a rate of 70 per 100,000 people, compared with 2.3 million in the U.S., or 753 per 100,000 — the highest rate in the world.

Studies show that countries and states investing more in education, health and social security typically spend less on their prison systems.

Strong relationships between prisoners and guards also help with rehabilitation. Unlike their counterparts in the U.S. and the U.K., who are sometimes seen as little more than turnkeys, Norway's prison guards enjoy an elevated status.

Read the wholw story in Time:
Sentenced to Serving the Good Life in Norway

Read also:
Prisoner in Norway and in Great Britain, reflections and comparisons from an inmate at Oslo Prison.