Comments on: Norway’s Open Prison System http://www.jasoncarr.com/culture/norways-open-prison-system Sun, 12 Feb 2012 06:03:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Jason Carr http://www.jasoncarr.com/culture/norways-open-prison-system/comment-page-1#comment-142 Jason Carr Tue, 20 Oct 2009 20:44:17 +0000 http://jasondavidcarr.com/?p=390#comment-142 <p>Agreed, Karrie.  He's long gone for right now, though, unfortunately.  Perhaps if the state would have tried to get him some REAL help instead of throwing him in jail he'd be doing better.  I do know that he did attend some AA (or similar) meetings at one point, though.  No idea what happened to that.</p> <p>It would be very interesting to me to visit a penitentiary museum, but I can't imagine it would be very fun, either.  I can imagine how creepy and disgusting it would feel.  I'm creeped out by our local Ogle County jail for heaven's sake. ;)</p> Agreed, Karrie.  He’s long gone for right now, though, unfortunately.  Perhaps if the state would have tried to get him some REAL help instead of throwing him in jail he’d be doing better.  I do know that he did attend some AA (or similar) meetings at one point, though.  No idea what happened to that.

It would be very interesting to me to visit a penitentiary museum, but I can’t imagine it would be very fun, either.  I can imagine how creepy and disgusting it would feel.  I’m creeped out by our local Ogle County jail for heaven’s sake. ;)

]]> By: Amber Carr http://www.jasoncarr.com/culture/norways-open-prison-system/comment-page-1#comment-141 Amber Carr Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:01:02 +0000 http://jasondavidcarr.com/?p=390#comment-141 He's in Las Vegas now with his Uncle... (probably not such a good place for him to be) but... he just keeps trying new places and new things to try to get away from it all.   He’s in Las Vegas now with his Uncle… (probably not such a good place for him to be) but… he just keeps trying new places and new things to try to get away from it all.
 

]]> By: Karrie http://www.jasoncarr.com/culture/norways-open-prison-system/comment-page-1#comment-140 Karrie Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:01:07 +0000 http://jasondavidcarr.com/?p=390#comment-140 Norwegian prison seems very humane and goal-oriented.  Perhaps the further threat of punishment is to be served lutefisk and potoklub every day!  My grandmother tired to teach us how to prepare and eat that stuff,  no wonder Scandinavians once had the highest rate of suicide! But seriously, folks!  The American prison system is extremely flawed, inhumane, and racially biased.  It is also a very old system with many penitentiaries constructed early in the last century or even earlier.  Thinking that incarceration under such circumstances alleviates our society's problems needs to be examined. This last spring I attended the annual meetings of the American Association of Museums in Philadelphia.  While many of the host institutions were oriented toward arts, science, and history, one of the "museums" hosting events was the Eastern State Penitentiary Museum.  I did not go to their event but had been told by friends who did that even the empty building seems shrouded in a pall and  groans under its own oppressive past. I will pray for your friend and ask that the pain and darkness that has dominated his life be replaced with love and light.  You are good friends to try and help his situation.  His situation, however, requires more than you can handle.  Are there professionals in town that can help? Norwegian prison seems very humane and goal-oriented.  Perhaps the further threat of punishment is to be served lutefisk and potoklub every day!  My grandmother tired to teach us how to prepare and eat that stuff,  no wonder Scandinavians once had the highest rate of suicide!
But seriously, folks!  The American prison system is extremely flawed, inhumane, and racially biased.  It is also a very old system with many penitentiaries constructed early in the last century or even earlier.  Thinking that incarceration under such circumstances alleviates our society’s problems needs to be examined.
This last spring I attended the annual meetings of the American Association of Museums in Philadelphia.  While many of the host institutions were oriented toward arts, science, and history, one of the “museums” hosting events was the Eastern State Penitentiary Museum.  I did not go to their event but had been told by friends who did that even the empty building seems shrouded in a pall and  groans under its own oppressive past.
I will pray for your friend and ask that the pain and darkness that has dominated his life be replaced with love and light.  You are good friends to try and help his situation.  His situation, however, requires more than you can handle.  Are there professionals in town that can help?

]]> By: Jason Carr http://www.jasoncarr.com/culture/norways-open-prison-system/comment-page-1#comment-139 Jason Carr Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:02:50 +0000 http://jasondavidcarr.com/?p=390#comment-139 <p>We certainly can't blame them when we keep throwing hatred at them...</p> We certainly can’t blame them when we keep throwing hatred at them…

]]> By: Amber Carr http://www.jasoncarr.com/culture/norways-open-prison-system/comment-page-1#comment-138 Amber Carr Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:50:48 +0000 http://jasondavidcarr.com/?p=390#comment-138 Those who are the hardest to love need the love the most. Everyone needs love.. but for some, love is scarce. And how can we blame them for not knowing how to live a life of love? Those who are the hardest to love need the love the most. Everyone needs love.. but for some, love is scarce. And how can we blame them for not knowing how to live a life of love?

]]> By: Jason Carr http://www.jasoncarr.com/culture/norways-open-prison-system/comment-page-1#comment-137 Jason Carr Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:00:52 +0000 http://jasondavidcarr.com/?p=390#comment-137 <p>No kidding, Tom; thanks for your thoughts.</p> <p>I don't think there's really any such thing as being "tough on crime".  Being "tough on crime" is really just hating on criminals.  And this method is only going to grow our prison population, turning bad boys into permanent failures.  Which would be more costly, housing an endlessly growing population of angry people or running some sort of a productive and self-reliant society?</p> <p>The fact that this approach resonates well with the populace just shows how hateful and judgmental the populace really is.  It's enough to (once again) make me hang my head in shame.</p> <p>Perhaps the penal system isn't a total failure, but I do not look at the segregation of inmates from society as any form of a success.  If we are going to permanently lock them away and never give them any chance for improvement, we might as well just murder them all.  The purpose behind our correctional system should be just that, correctional.  It has to be a temporary situation with the goal of improvement.  The goals of our current system do not focus on improvement, and as a result, we are running into deeper and deeper financial and moral issues.</p> No kidding, Tom; thanks for your thoughts.

I don’t think there’s really any such thing as being “tough on crime”.  Being “tough on crime” is really just hating on criminals.  And this method is only going to grow our prison population, turning bad boys into permanent failures.  Which would be more costly, housing an endlessly growing population of angry people or running some sort of a productive and self-reliant society?

The fact that this approach resonates well with the populace just shows how hateful and judgmental the populace really is.  It’s enough to (once again) make me hang my head in shame.

Perhaps the penal system isn’t a total failure, but I do not look at the segregation of inmates from society as any form of a success.  If we are going to permanently lock them away and never give them any chance for improvement, we might as well just murder them all.  The purpose behind our correctional system should be just that, correctional.  It has to be a temporary situation with the goal of improvement.  The goals of our current system do not focus on improvement, and as a result, we are running into deeper and deeper financial and moral issues.

]]> By: Tom Wadsworth http://www.jasoncarr.com/culture/norways-open-prison-system/comment-page-1#comment-136 Tom Wadsworth Tue, 20 Oct 2009 05:28:44 +0000 http://jasondavidcarr.com/?p=390#comment-136 I have come to similar views.  But I have also come to acknowledge that the current penal system isn't a total failure.  It is productive for some inmates, and it does help to segregate pathologically problem  people from society. Karl Menninger's "The Crime of Punishment" opened my eyes back in 1978 when I was offering weekly counseling services to inmates.  There clearly needs to be more emphasis on reform rather than punishment. Cost is a huge factor that discourages changing the system.  Fortunately, some leaders in penal reform recognize that it will probably cost more to do nothing.  Our prisons continue to get larger and larger, and the costs of building and maintaining more prisons and caring for more prisoners is exorbitant. Politicians won't address the issue until the public outcry demands it.  Unfortunately, the common mentality of the public is to demand stronger penalties for crimes and for politicians to be "tough on crime." Such simplistic slogans resonate well with the populace, but they are very costly in the short and long run.  Worse yet, these slogans really don't solve the problem of bad behavior. I have come to similar views.  But I have also come to acknowledge that the current penal system isn’t a total failure.  It is productive for some inmates, and it does help to segregate pathologically problem  people from society.
Karl Menninger’s “The Crime of Punishment” opened my eyes back in 1978 when I was offering weekly counseling services to inmates.  There clearly needs to be more emphasis on reform rather than punishment.
Cost is a huge factor that discourages changing the system.  Fortunately, some leaders in penal reform recognize that it will probably cost more to do nothing.  Our prisons continue to get larger and larger, and the costs of building and maintaining more prisons and caring for more prisoners is exorbitant.
Politicians won’t address the issue until the public outcry demands it.  Unfortunately, the common mentality of the public is to demand stronger penalties for crimes and for politicians to be “tough on crime.”
Such simplistic slogans resonate well with the populace, but they are very costly in the short and long run.  Worse yet, these slogans really don’t solve the problem of bad behavior.

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